


I Swear I Was Straight Before I Met You

by Kaddy16



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Cheesy pick-up lines, Crossdressing, Emotional Teenagers, F/M, Haven Hills, Humor, M/M, Monsters, Mpreg, Underage Drinking, Werewolves, a hint of romance, awkward teenagers, don't ask why, except that one time that never happened (but totally did happen), mythical creatures, slow burn?, supernatural powers, tsundere grass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-07-27 14:57:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20047936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaddy16/pseuds/Kaddy16
Summary: Clark Kane was an average teenager and a Junior in High School. He was in love with his best friend Jessica Moore, even though she always treated him more like a brother. He lived a typical normal life until one fateful Halloween night. Now, he's not as average as he once thought he was and he really f*cking hates grass.





	1. Our Halloween Theme

**Author's Note:**

> The beginning of this story takes place before season 1 of Teen Wolf in Haven Hills, a sister town to Beacon Hills that is connected by a forest (and roads obviously). I'm about 70 pages in and still have not reached canon yet, but it should happen soon. I started this story so I could work on character development and try my hand at writing my first sex scene and of course I didn't reach that scene until 30 pages in. -.- About 50 pages in it took a weird turn, and now grass may be a possible love interest for the main character. XD ...Anyways, enjoy. :3

Today was a day like any other. It was the middle of Fall and Halloween was right around the corner. I walked leisurely to school with my best friend at my side. 

She was picture perfect in my eyes. She had light mocha skin and the brightest hazelnut eyes I had ever seen. She wore a high ponytail that ended in short waves, a light pink sweater, pale blue jeans, and a pair of red sneakers. 

I was just barely average compared to her. I wore an open red plaid shirt with a plain white T-shirt underneath, dark jeans, and a pair of faded yellow sneakers. I had dark brown eyes and blonde hair with dark streaks that stood out in almost every direction theoretically possible. My hopes of ever taming my short hair were nill at the moment.

"Are you ready for the history test?" asked Jessica.

Her smile was the most wonderful thing I was blessed to witness. But only she would be this excited over the thought of taking a test. She's such a nerd. 

"Of course I'm ready. That test will be a breeze." I replied with confidence. 

We were both lugging around decently sized backpacks. I studied for weeks preparing for this test. Okay, so maybe I was a nerd too. I had to be just to keep up with Jess and my father.

He was a very accomplished doctor and practically force fed me all of his medical knowledge. I was practically a superhero at my own high school because of it. 

If someone suddenly had a seizure or if a teacher had a heart attack, I was usually the first responder. I also had a nickname: Dr. Clark. Most of the student body would even come to me instead of going to the nurse's office. Honestly, sometimes I'm surprised the school hasn't given me my own office yet. On second thought, if the school budget was bigger, they probably would have. 

"Clark?" asked Jess.

"Sorry, what?" I asked apologetically. 

She was probably talking to me for a while trying to get my attention based on the frown on her face.

"I said, I'll bet you Mom's ginger bread muffins that I'll get a higher score than you." 

That was a tempting offer.

"And if you win?" I asked.

"You'll have to do my homework for a week." she replied.

"That hardly seems fair." I pouted.

"Hey, it's a one-time offer Clark. Besides, I know you secretly love doing homework." she giggled.

Well, she wasn't _ wrong _. And I could get through it pretty fast with hardly any effort.

"You have a deal." we shook hands to seal the deal.

As if I could ever say 'no' to her. No teenage boy in their right mind could say 'no' to her. She was just that special.

I smile back at her as we finally reach the school. We say 'bye' to one another and part ways… until we reunite for history class. 

The next day was a Saturday, so we wouldn't know our test results until the following week. I have a feeling I won the bet though, especially since I did the extra credit Mr. Lenard offered weeks in advance.

But today was no ordinary Saturday.

It was All Hallow's Eve or Halloween for the simple minded.

Jess dragged me to her house to get ready. This year was her turn to pick what we would be going as. Since we were kids, we've always gone trick or treating as part of a theme. In the past, we were the power rangers (red and pink respectively), Batman and Batgirl, and then cowboy and cowgirl.

As we got older, it became Clark Kent and Lois Lane. My personal favorite was when I was Dracula and Jess went as my first victim. I think she liked that one too. We had a blast playing pranks and scaring the whole neighborhood that year with our fake blood.

So I was pretty excited about what she would choose this year. Maybe we'll go as zombies? Or members of the Scooby gang? No, we would need more people for that. We'd have to find people to play the parts of Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby. It would also be nice to solve a mystery, own a mystery van, and have a fake monster to catch. Maybe one day if Jess and I made more actual… friends.

"Ah, Clark sweetie you're here. I made sandwiches." said Jess' Mom.

She was a sweet woman in her mid forties. She was practically my mother too at this point since I lost… my own mother at 3 years old. Me calling her Mom at first started out as a joke, but neither of us really minded in the end, so it just stuck. And if I ever gain the courage to propose to Jess, one day she would be my mother-in-law. 

"Awesome." I replied.

Jess was clearly disappointed with this detour. She reluctantly let go of my hand, so I could pig out on Mom's cooking. Every chance I got at eating a home cooked meal that I didn't prepare myself I was taking it.

After I finished eating, Jess was watching in horror at my bad eating habits as usual, she dragged me to her bedroom.

"Thanks for the sandwiches Mom!" I hastily yell over my shoulder.

"Anytime Clark. You should come over for dinner more often."

"No promises!" I yell back.

I didn't feel comfortable eating Jess and her family out of house and home every night. So I mostly did that on the weekends with snacks in between throughout the week. But since tonight is Halloween, that meant my dinner was likely to be candy which would no doubtedly lead to a sugar coma the next day.

Once we reach her room, she handed me something red and white.

"Here's your costume, go get changed while I put on my costume."

Just by looking at it, I couldn't guess the costume theme just yet. 

"Your wig is in the bathroom and I'll hand you your shoes once you're dressed."

"Can't you just tell me the theme?" I whine.

"Because at this point, I have no clue." I continue.

She laughed at what appeared to be an inside joke.

"Oh, once I put on my costume and we stand side by side in front of this mirror you'll get it." she smirked evilly.

I glanced at the full body mirror filled with dredd. Okay, I was officially scared now. Jess must have seen the worry etched on my face.

"Don't worry, we're going to a party anyways, so no one will hardly notice. Besides, you'll look great in your costume."

"Wait, we're going to a party?" I asked.

That was news to me.

"Jess, you know I hate parties." I said exasperated.

"That's because you don't mingle and just sit in a corner. Mingle, make friends. Then we can have a group theme next year like you've always wanted."

"Jess…"

"Please?" she begged with teary puppy dog eyes.

I barely lasted a second.

"Okay, fine." I grumbled.

"Great, now hurry and get changed. It's already 7:20 and the party starts at 8." (Let's pretend they didn't get out of school until after 6:30 because of some club and not because I didn't realise time was moving too fast earlier. -.-) she said as she pushed me towards the bathroom in her room.

"Okay, I'll hurry."

She quickly closed the door and I was alone in the bathroom.

The first thing I noticed was a long blonde wig on the severed head of a mannequin by the sink. Maybe we're going as 80's rockers? That thought was looking less and less likely as I unfolded the clothes.

I stared at the red fabric and then at myself in the mirror. I must be going crazy. Cause for a second I thought… No, why would…? Surely, Jess wouldn't hand me a… Then it dawned on me. Jess just handed me a _ dress _. This had to be a mistake, right? But Jess prides herself on never making mistakes. Well, it never hurts to ask.

"Jess?" I yelled through the door.

"Yes?" her voice was slightly muffled coming through the door.

"Why did you hand me a dress?"

"All will be clear in time young one." she replied cryptically.

"I'm serious."

"Just put it on Clark. It'll make sense, I promise."

I had a feeling she was trying to hide a fit of laughter on the other side of the door.

Well, it wouldn't be the first time she told me to put on a dress. But then again we were 5 and it was for tea parties. I think that's when my love for fancy sandwiches started too now that I think about it.

But that is besides the point. I doubt I would look as good in drag as I did as a kid. Now that's a weird thought. I shake my head to get rid of that train of thought. 

I unfolded the rest of the clothes to find a white long sleeved sweater and white knee high wool socks. I got undressed and tossed my clothes somewhere in a corner. I was left in my boxers wondering what to do with them.

The dress definitely wasn't long enough to hide my boxers. And if my guess was right, Jess would want me to be a convincing woman, which wouldn't be possible with my boxers on display for the world to see. That's when I noticed them.

The brand new white _ panties _ peeking out from underneath the sweater. Why did Jess have to be so thorough? I was at least hoping I could wear shorts under the dress. If I have to dress like a woman, I was going to go for tomboy, but even that option is out the window along with the comical screeching cat.

I tried not to think about it too much as I quickly got dressed. First I put on the sweater, then the… panties. I couldn't help but blush and ask myself why I was doing this again. Because I would do anything for Jess. And by doing this, clearly I meant _ anything _. 

Next was the red dress with one inch spaghetti straps. It ended around my mid thigh, maybe a little higher. At any rate, if I bent down far enough, everyone would see my… underwear. Which wasn't too bad all things considered. It kind of felt like I was back in ballet, wearing tights with Jess when we were little.

I pulled up the wool socks over my knees and worked on getting the blonde wig on straight. I looked in the mirror when I was done. I still didn't have an idea on our theme yet. 

"Jess, are you done getting ready?" I asked.

"Yep, just waiting on you slowpoke." she replied.

I was kind of embarrassed walking out dressed like this, but my curiosity got the best of me. I opened the door and saw… Jess in a pale blue dress with her hair down and perfectly straight. She had on wool socks as well with black heels.

She ushered me in front of the full body mirror. We stood side by side and the gears in my brain began to turn. Why did this image looking back at me look so familiar?

"So I'm Dionne. Can you guess who you're supposed to be?" she asked patiently.

"I'm Cher." I said in disbelief.

"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!"

I think I was still partly in shock. 

"I really was clueless this whole time huh?" I asked as her earlier inside joke made sense. We both ended up laughing together.

"Here's your heels."

She handed me a pair of 2 inch red heels with straps.

"You do realize I've never walked in heels before right?" I asked.

"That's why we're walking to the party, so you can get some good old practice in." she stated matter of factly.

"Yipee." I sarcastically replied.

"And if you fall, I'll catch you." she said sweetly.

"My hero." I said like a damsel in distress.

"Fine. Fall, see if I care."

"Jess, you don't mean that."

I grew increasingly worried when she didn't reply as I followed her down the stairs with heels in hand. 

"You don't meant that, right Jess?" I asked.

"Of course not. I'll catch you no matter how clumsy you are."

I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Jess. I really wasn't looking forward to my face meeting the concrete."

"No worries, I'll protect that delicate face of yours." she said condescendingly as she grabbed my chin and smooshed my cheeks.

I slap her hand away in spite.

"Hey, don't start a cat fight now."

Before I could reply, Mom's voice drifted into the hall.

"Is that you Jess? Clark?"

"Shit." I said.

"What's wrong?" Jess asked.

Then she looked at me like the cat who caught the canary. She knew why I didn't want to stand there a moment longer. There was no way Mom could see me like this.

"Mom always wanted another daughter." she said mockingly.

"I'll be waiting outside." I huffed.

I put on the heels while I wait for Jess to come out. I didn't dare to even try walking without her by my side.

"Mom said to be sure to be over for dinner tomorrow. I think she's a little worried you didn't say goodbye." she said teasingly.

"Yeah, well whose fault is that?" I asked impatiently.

"No one's but your own."

She had a point.

I could have easily yelled it on my way out.

"Aren't you going to help me stand?" I held out my hand.

"Sure, if I have to." she said with fake exasperation.

"I'm only a burden because of these heels. Next time, pick flats or something."

"Oh, so there'll be a next time?" she asked with glee.

"N-no…" I look away to hide my growing blush.

"Suuuuurrrrrre." 

I hit her arm. 

"Ow."she tenderly rubs her arm.

"Let's go. It'll be a long walk if I trip every 2 feet."

Sadly, that wasn't too far from the truth. I managed to stop tripping after the first 10 minutes or so. Progress. We were still late to the party though. We got there around 8:25.

"I still can't believe you tripped on nearly every crevice on that sidewalk." she said somewhat amazed.

"I told you heels was a bad idea."

"Next time, you'll be ready. I'll give you princess training and make you walk around the house with a stack of books on your head while in heels." Jess jokes.

At least I hoped she was joking… But I could think about that terrifying experience later. Right now, I only had one question on my mind.

"Why are we on a college campus?" I asked.

"Because my boyfriend is in college silly."

Right, her boyfriend Greg. Sometimes I like to pretend he doesn't exist, so my marriage plans with Jess seem more likely to happen in the future. 

Greg was just starting his first semester of college, so that would make him about 2 years older than Jess. I think he was studying to become a lawyer. Show off. Probably just trying to one up me and look like the best option in Jess' eyes. Her parents' eyes too judging by Mom's reaction when she first met him.

"And he said I could bring a friend. Remember to mingle. You don't have to dance or drink. Just actually talk to people, okay?"

"Fine. It's going to be hard to find sober people to have an intellectual conversation with though." I said somewhat under my breath.

We walked into the party hand in hand and as soon as she spotted Greg, she dashed off. I kind of expected that honestly. Jess was clearly the party animal out of the two of us. Which left me to be the responsible adult to drag her back home in a timely manner. I'm probably the only reason Mom let's Jess go to parties, because she knows I'll bring her back home before she goes too deep into 'party mode'.

At first, my plan was to lean against the wall, watch the party, and keep an eye on Jess of course. But that plan was quickly trashed when someone puked by me. The kitchen it is. At least in there, I can still hear Jess and see her as she moves into my line of sight every now and again.

I was so focused on Jess (and glaring daggers at Greg) that I didn't notice when I bumped into someone.

"Oh, sorry." I said instantly.

"It's okay. I should have found a way to maneuver around you since you clearly weren't paying attention to where you were going whatsoever."

I stared up into bright green eyes. I had no idea if that was just a sarcastic remark or just friendly banter.

It really has been a long time since I socialized with someone, other than Jess, that was around my age. Well, close to it. This guy was clearly a college student. I was around the same height as Jess, but compared to him… I felt like a hobbit.

"Do I look weird?" He asked.

"What?"

I'm the one who should be saying that. I still feel uncomfortable in this dress and feel like people should know I'm a dude under here. I begin to fidget.

"You've just been staring at me for like 5 whole minutes now."

I look away embarrassed.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought. You're just so… tall." I finished lamely.

He laughs.

I look back up at him. I cross my arms in front of my chest and frown at him.

"Sorry, I don't mean to laugh at you. It's just that no one has talked about my height quite like that before. It's refreshing in a way." he says as he wipes a tear of laughter from his eye.

"I'm Danny from Grease by the way. And you are?"

Now that he mentions it, I can see it. The leather jacket, 50's slacks, the shoes, and of course the greased black hair is obvious. Wait, he asked about my costume didn't he?

"I'm Cher." I reply a few moments later.

For a moment he looks confused.

"From Clueless, not the singer." I added hastily.

That was another good costume idea. Of course Jess would be Cher _ obviously. _

"That definitely makes more sense." he responds.

"So Cher, what brings you to this party? I don't think I've ever seen you around before."

I gaze longingly at Jess and her boyfriend.

"My boyfriend."

Danny follows my gaze. He somehow looks… disappointed?

"Oh, I guess I shouldn't bother you any further then." he begins to retreat.

W-wait… did I say my boyfriend? I must have blushed a brighter red than my dress, if that's even possible.

"Wait! I-I mean my friends' boyfriend."

He raises an eyebrow.

"If you don't want to talk, you could have just said so. You don't have to make up excuses." he finally says.

"No, it's not that. I just suck at socializing. The whole reason my friend even brought me with her was so I could socialize."

And to keep an eye on her. Heaven knows Mom would never let her go to a party otherwise.

"Well, then let's socialize. Since you're so clearly out of practice."

I can't help but stifle a laugh since that was the understatement of the century.

He held out his hand.

"My real name's Ricky."

"I'm Clar-Claire." I say instead as I shake his hand.

Maybe I should have stuck with Clark? There are girls named Clark in the world right? Probably with an extra 'e' in there somewhere. Oh well, too late now. Hopefully, no one at this party will recognize me once I'm in regular clothes again.

"It's a nice name." he states.

"Yep, it sure is." I reply.

Wait, that makes me sound conceited. I bite my bottom lip as my nerves get the better of me. I tap my left hand against my thigh as I drum to the beat of 'Eye of the Tiger' while it plays in my head. Ricky's lips are moving, but I'm not really hearing a word he says.

'Rising up, back on the street. Did my time, took my chances. Went the distance now I'm not gonna stop, just a man and his will to survive. It's the eye of the-' 

"Claire!" Ricky said as he tried to shout over the noise of the party.

"Yeah?"

I was right on the chorus too. But it was kind of rude of me to ignore him.

"Would you like to sit in the kitchen?"

"Sure." I answer somewhat distractedly as I steal another quick glance at Jess.

The kitchen was simple and opened up into two separate side rooms. There was a cheap table with four empty seats in the middle of it. As I walked closer, I could spot the moon peeking out behind the blinds of a window.

I sat down and crossed my legs, hoping my dress wouldn't ride up any further than it already had. Well, at least the kitchen had less lighting than the rest of the house. 

Ricky made his way to the fridge.

"Do you want a soda?"

"Is there a Dr. Pepper in there?"

"Looks like luck is on your side today."

He handed me a can of my preferred beverage and sat down across from me with a 7 UP. I took a few sips and felt the delightful sensation of the carbonization hitting my tongue. 

"Did you know this campus is haunted?"

"Really?" I blurted out.

"Eager to solve a mystery huh?" he asked with a smile.

"Well, no." I answered somewhat embarrassed.

"But it would be fun to solve a pointless mystery with… friends like-"

"Like the Scooby gang?" he jokes.

"Yes, exactly."

I was a little shocked he managed to follow my train of thought so quickly. Not even Jess could accomplish that often.

"I would need to find more people to actually form a 'Scooby gang' though." I said down heartedly.

"Well, I could be Fred and you can be Daphne. That's a start."

My head snaps upwards as I stare at him in disbelief.

"There's no way I'm a Daphne in this scenario. My friend would make a much better Daphne." I say as I shake my head in denial.

"Your friend is the one I saw in a blue dress earlier right?"

I nod.

"Then I think she would be better suited to play Velma."

Her current hair style did fit the role of Velma more at the moment. Wait, what am I thinking? There's no way I could be Daphne. For starters, I don't think Daphne was a guy in drag the whole time. It would have been a pretty funny reveal if that were the case. Poor Fred though. He would have never seen that coming in a million years.

"Why do you think I would make such a great Daphne?" I ask instead.

"Isn't it obvious? You're the most beautiful girl at this party." he proclaims with a wink at me.

I blush instantly.

"N-no, that can't be true…"

It's really not. I don't even fit the requirements to make that comment true.

"It's true, I'm not blind."

Clearly you are, in some ways at least.

"But my friend is gorgeous compared to me. She's picture perfect. She's like a runway model. She's an 11 and I'm a 2." I say trying to prove my point.

"You shouldn't compare yourself to others. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." he says sincerely as he reaches for my hand.

He runs his thumb over my knuckles as we just stare at each other for what seems like forever. I'm just… speechless. I thought one day I would be saying these words to Jess. Either during a proposal or part of my wedding vows. I never thought I would hear these words aimed at me, from a guy nonetheless.

Ricky began to lean towards me from his side of the table.

What is he doing? Wait… is he… going to kiss me?!

My whole body freezes. Oh my god he is! What do I do? What do I do?! I quickly begin to panic. Should I move out of the way? Jump? Should I tap dance away to make a hasty exit? No, that's stupid. Why would I- 

"Woohoooooo!"

My thoughts are interrupted by a yell that sounds oddly a lot like Jess.

I turn my head in the direction of the yell before Ricky can make any further progress. Woo, saved by Jess. Then I hear a chant.

"Chug, chug, chug…"

"Sorry, I better check on my friend." I leave without waiting for his reply.

When I walk into the room, I see Jess held upside down by four people and chugging beer. Can't say that I'm surprised honestly. The crowd continues to cheer her on for a few more seconds before she is lifted right side up again. 

She's all smiles and laughter. She's staggering every other second just to try to regain her balance. Then she throws up on the floor. Yep, it's time to go.

I grab her hand and lead her to the kitchen. I steal a few water bottles from the fridge.

"Here, you need to stay hydrated."

She reluctantly takes a few sips.

"Can't… I just have one more beer?" she asks as her words begin to slur together.

I hold three fingers in front of her face.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" I ask.

"F-five."

Close, but not quite.

"Then the answers' no."

She pouts.

"Keep drinking the water, you'll thank me later."

"Leaving so soon?"

Shit. I forgot about Ricky.

"Yeah. Sor-" 

He cuts me off.

"Ah, ah, ah. Say no more, I get it. She's your friend." he says with understanding.

"Do you mind if I walk you two outside?"

"Um, sure. Why not?"

It might be awkward, but hopefully I can leave on a good note. I walk outside with Jess leaning heavily against me. I fish out my phone from a side pocket in my dress. It's almost 9:30. I call Mom for a ride since there is no way I can walk Jess home with the way her balance is now… especially since we're both in heels.

I end the call just in time to watch Jess puke again. It's times like these… where I wonder how I can still be in love with Jess after seeing her at her worst. I pat her back and tell her to drink more water.

"I guess that's the power of friendship at work huh?"

I turn towards Ricky.

"Yep. There through all the puke 'til the end." I reply sarcastically.

I check back on Jess. She's doing okay for the most part, considering how much she must have drank. 

I walk a few steps closer to Ricky. 

"Look, sorry about earlier." I say apprehensively.

"No need to apologize."

And he just smiles at me. Why does he have to be so charming? It just makes this so much more difficult on my end. I tug lightly on my sleeve and stare at my heels.

"It's just…"

I'm a guy and you're wasting your time on me. He could easily flirt with any girl in there and get better results.

He gently lifts up my chin so we meet eye to eye.

"I meant what I said earlier. Maybe one day you'll believe it's true, but for now…"

His lips meet mine. My mind just goes blank. I could almost taste mint and… chocolate? Then his lips leave mine. I'm left a little breathless and flushed. I won't know for sure what I tasted unless I go back for another kiss.

*Honk

A loud sound brings me out of my stupor. I look back to see Mom's car. A blush starts to tint my cheeks a rosy red.

What am I thinking?! I shouldn't be trying to go for another kiss, especially since Mom's here now.

"Well, that's our ride." I say quietly and awkwardly.

"If you ever want to hang out sometime, my dorm room is over there. It's the first door on the right." he points to a large building on the east side of campus.

"Yeah, sure." I said as I stupidly grinned back at him for some reason.

Before I could embarrass myself any further, I grabbed Jess' hand and led her to the back of Mom's car. By then Jess had already downed two water bottles. I scoot in beside her and shut the car door. I wave back to Ricky as Mom starts the car. She looks straight at me through the car mirror.

"I almost didn't recognize you there for a second Clark." she teases me.

"I'm surprised you managed to master the art of walking in heels so flawlessly as well." she continues and giggles.

I look away in pure and utter embarrassment.

"It was all Jess' idea." I mumble.

"Well? Did you two have fun?" she asks.

Clearly Jess was in no state to answer any questions.

"Yeah, I think so." I answer somewhat surprised myself.

I watch in horror as Jess begins to gag and quickly roll down the window. Mom slows down the car.

"Looks like Jessica will be staying in tomorrow." she grimaces.

She was in for one major hangover tomorrow, that was for sure.


	2. Pool Sticks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second of this chapter is the sex scene. I'll let you know where they do the do in bold. XD I think I dragged it on for to long but oh well. This whole chapter is basically a roller coaster of emotions. P.S. Clark has dark chocolate brown eyes by the way. I can't believe I wrote 70 pages without mentioning that. -.-' It was either that or blue and blue doesn't fit his 'average teenager' image it. So, enjoy. ;) And the next chapter will be the introduction of... grass. XD

Once we get to Jess' house, I help lug her to her room as Mom grabs a bucket to place by her bed. I took off my heels downstairs. There was no way I was going up the stairs in heels. 

"Your clothes are still in the washing machine. You can pick them up tomorrow."

It was in that moment I was glad I only lived two doors down from Jess and my father wasn't home yet. It was 9:40 and he shouldn't be back until 11. 

"You should get some rest. I bet you had a long night."

"Yeah, tell me about it." 

Truth be told, I wasn't that tired surprisingly. Time seemed to fly by at the party with Ricky. 

"Goodnight, I'll see you both tomorrow."

She responded with a smile.

I left the house after I put the heels back on. Technically, the night was still young. I could still spot a few ongoing house parties in the neighborhood. I saw some trick or treaters still out and about, probably on their way home. 

In a split second decision I decided to make the 15 minute journey back to the campus. I felt kind of guilty for lying to Ricky. He deserved to know the truth. Which I could only reveal in this outfit anyway and I didn't want to put on this outfit or just the wig on again anytime soon. 

Before I know it, I was standing outside Ricky's door. Hopefully this is his door and I didn't choose the wrong one. I hesitantly knock, filled with dredd for the upcoming conversation. The door opens a few moments later. Well, at least I picked the right door. 

"Hi, Claire."

"Hi." I respond with a small wave awkwardly.

"Come in." He steps back. 

I walk in and I'm surprised at the interior of the dorm. It's more like a small apartment than a dorm room really. Off to my left I see two queen sized beds, in the center, I see a kitchen, and to my right is an archway that leads into another room. 

I walk further in to catch a glimpse of the room. Is that a pool table? And a flat screen TV?! It's settled. I'm going to college here. This was basically a college bachelor's dream dorm. 

"So are all the dorm like this?" I glance back at him.

"No, a rich student pays for the dorm, then chooses a non-rich student to join them."

So I could either be the rich student or the freeloader. I could ask my father for the money or find a richer friend since we were high middle class. I'd probably end up in one of the Ivy League colleges anyway, so I guess it doesn't really matter. Now that I think about it…

"Where is your roommate?" I ask.

"He's staying the night at his girlfriend's place."

Of course he is.

I eye the pool table again.

"Do you know how to play pool?" He asks.

"Um, not really."

My form is usually always off somehow and I miss the clear shot into the hole.

"I could teach you."

"Sure."

Ricky set up the pool table and handed me a pool cue.

I'm only delaying the inevitable conversation, but hopefully a distraction will help me organize my thoughts. 

Okay, I was definitely  _ wrong. _ How can anyone think in this…  _ position _ ?

Ricky was helping me work on my form. His hands were placed firmly over mine and the pool cue. He was right behind me as tried to help me align a shot. I was pressed against the pool table. I was essentially trapped between Ricky and a… hard place. I think I can even feel his heart beating against my back. Or is that my heart beating erratically?

He loosened his grip.

"Just take the shot when you're ready?" He whispered in my right ear.

I could feel the heat of his breath on my neck. Am I sweating? It felt like my skin was on fire. How long have we been in this position? I should just take the shot already. 

I leaned more into the table to get a better shot, which was a bad idea in hindsight. My dress rode up even further, exposing more skin. It pressed me further into the pool table and dragged Ricky along with me. 

I could feel the pressure building up and harden against the pool table as my blood flow decided it was best needed elsewhere. At this rate, I wouldn't even have to tell Ricky I was a guy. He would just know with one glance downwards.

"Relax-"

My fight or flight reflexes must have kicked in or something. I certainly wasn't prepared to hear his voice against my ear again. 

I stumbled backwards, stepped on his foot with my red heel, and then tripped over said heels along with the pool cue I was still gripping in a desperate attempt to regain my balance. Which led to the pool cue being jerked backwards into Ricky's gut. 

"Ugh."

Needless to say, we both fell on our ass. I'm just glad I didn't land on top of him and injure him further.

"Are you okay?" I ask desperately.

"Y-yeah, you j-just knocked the wind out of me." He tried to sit up, but pain was clearly etched onto his face.

I crawled closer to him.

"Let me see."

"I-I'm fine Claire. No harm done. There's no n-need to worry."

I give him a pleading look. He eventually gives in and lifts up his shirt. A nasty purple bruise is starting to form.

"I'm sorry…" I say quietly.

Tears begin to well up in my eyes. I was practically trained to be a doctor my whole life. Doctors are suppose to heal people, not hurt people. What if I hit one of his ribs or one of his organs? At that thought, the tears fell freely like a geyser. 

"H-hey, hey. I'm okay." He tried to comfort me.

He runs his thumb over my cheek to wipe away the tears.

"I'm still alive and kicking." He slowly kisses me and leans his forehead against mine.

"No more tears, okay?" He asks softly.

"O-okay." I look away for a moment blushing.

He's right. I should be helping him recover, not crying. First things first, I should take off these damn heels before I almost kill anyone else. 

"I'll go get you some ice."

I stand up and head towards the kitchen. I grab a glad bag, fill it with ice cubes, and wrap a paper towel around it. I walk back to the pool room and hand it to Ricky, who's still on the floor.

"Here."

"T-thanks."

I sit down in silence as I wait for the pain I caused him to fade. On the bright side, at least I'm not hard anymore. It's a small comfort considering how miserable I feel now.

We both begin to speak at once.

"Listen-" "I'm-"

Pause.

"You don't have to apologize, Claire. Accidents happen."

'Most accidents don't lead to internal bleeding.' I think begrudgingly.

Wait. what if I liked pierced a lung or something? What if he's slowly bleeding to death because of me? I have to call 911. Get him to a hospital. I can't  _ breathe _ . When did I stop breathing? Why am I shaking?! 

"Claire, breathe. You're having a panic attack." Ricky was gripping my shoulders and shaking me.

Oh, so that's why I was shaking.

"Breathe in and out slowly. In-" He took a deep inhale and I mimicked him. 

"And out." We exhaled together.

After a few moments I could breathe normally again. 

"Do you normally have panic attacks?" He asked.

"Not since I was little…" I trail off.

Not since… my mom died.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, I-" I stopped mid sentence as I gaze at him.

His shirt is half way up as he holds the ice bag against his abdomen. But something is… not right. Is his bruise… ? I move the ice bag out of the way. 

"What's wrong?" He asked.

It's impossible what I'm looking at. It's a like a medical anomaly.

"Your bruise, it's… healing." I respond with disbelief.

I look him in the eyes. He looks nervous now for some reason. The tables have turned. The bruise was definitely lighter and not as spread out as it was 10 minutes ago. 

"W-what? No, you're imagining things."

"I'm sure-"

"It wasn't as bad as you thought. It just seemed worse in this lighting." 

I look up at the lighting above us. Nope, it's pretty bright. I gaze back on his bruise and can see it pretty clearly. He grabs the ice bag and tries to hide the bruise from my view a little too late. I move in closer towards him. He scoots back and almost practically out of the room.

"It's not a trick of the light, Ricky. I know what I saw." I say as I pout like a child.

"Or maybe it was all-" He digs a quarter out of his pocket and makes it disappear between his fingers. "-an illusion."

"You can't distract me with magic. I'm not five."

"Check behind your left ear."

I decide to humor him for a moment.

"There's nothing-"

Sure enough, there was a quarter behind my left ear, held there by my wig. Okay… how did he do that? He's like three feet away from me and I definitely would have felt a coin behind my ear earlier. I couldn't come up with a plausible explanation as I stared at the quarter in my hand.

"How… ?"

And he's gone. Damnit. He managed to distract me with magic, my one weakness. 

He couldn't have gone far. I'm not leaving without answers. I rise from the floor and walk into the next room.

"Ricky."

I spot him as he tries to walk out the front door. I really don't want to chase after him. I don't even have proper running shoes at the moment. 

"Just tell me why you have super healing like Wolverine."

He can't help but laugh, caught off guard. Then reality sinks in.

"I can't."

"Look, you don't have to tell me everything just-"

"No, I mean I don't know why either?" He says frustrated.

How can he not know?

"Were you in some weird accident or experiment?" I asked, probing for more information. 

He releases a sigh.

"I'm adopted and I guess I hit my head at some point because I don't remember anything from before I turned 13, which was when I was adopted… "

"I'm so sorry." I felt guilty for pushing him.

"It's okay. It's not like you gave me amnesia."

I release a small sad chuckle.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Not really." He sighs again.

He sounds exhausted.

"I meant the bruise. Is it fully healed?"

He lifts up his shirt. There's no sign of the bruise whatsoever. Just… perfect abs on a muscular body. 

"Looks that way."

"Hmmm."

"You're staring."

I look up and he's smiling at me.

"Like what you see?" He teases.

"Yes, I-I mean no!" I'm completely mortified. I look away blushing uncontrollably in embarrassment. 

Why did I say yes? I quickly try to change the subject.

"So do you have any other powers?" I ask.

"Yes." He didn't elaborate.

"Like what-?!"

Before I could finish, he was instantly in front of me and was lifting me up with ease. I hang onto him on the off chance he might drop me. 

"Can you guess them now?" He asks cheekily.

"O-obviously, now I can."

Speed. Check. Super strength. Check.

"Uh, can you put me down now?" I plead.

"Why? I kind of like this position. At least this way you can't hit me with a pool cue."

"I said I was sorry." I mumble.

"And I said I'm fine. I have super healing remember?" He leans his forehead against mine and I begin to relax. 

I close my eyes. I can feel his body heat as he holds me closer. And my dress rides up another inch past my underwear. Ricky must have noticed my incoming panic because he sets me back on the ground. 

"I've never told anyone besides my parents about my powers before?"

"Really?" I ask surprised as I straighten out my dress.

"Yeah. My parents were worried about what might happen."

Right. Somehow the government finds out and he becomes a human experiment.

"I won't tell anyone, promise." 

Not even Jess. I don't want to ruin his life. He has a whole future ahead of him.

"Good." The tension in his shoulders begin to relax.

He must have really been worried about people finding out. 

"You know-" He leans down to my height and whispers in my ear. "-I never tested out my super powers in the bedroom." 

My whole body turns red as my imagination runs wild.

Would it be like that scene in 'My Super Ex-Girlfriend'? Would he fly me above the town and… wait what am I thinking?! That sounds terrifying! I'm already afraid of heights and if he drops me… I'll just be goo amongst the pavement. Can he even fly?

"Can you fly?" I blurt out.

He pauses.

"No, why?" He asks somewhat confused.

I quickly look away.

"N-no reason." I mumble.

He turns my head back towards him.

"Claire, what were you thinking about?" He asks with a smirk.

"N-nothing." I stumble out a response.

"Really?" He runs his thumb across my bottom lip.

All I can hear in that moment is my own heavy breathing and my heart rate skyrocketing in my ear drums. 

Is this foreplay? Are we going to… But wait! Don't we need lube for this work? Otherwise… wait, he doesn't know! I forgot to tell him. How could I forget to tell him? That was the whole reason I came here. We can't have sex, he has to know first. Wait, why do I want to sleep with a guy?! I'm in love with Jess.

** _(Sponsored by Mountain Dew) <3<3<3<3<3_ **

"Ricky…" I moaned.

Did I just moan his name?! I must have. The next thing I know his lips are sucking on mine. I open my mouth to speak and then suddenly his tongue his battling mine. I definitely taste chocolate and mint now. Who was giving out thin mints on Halloween? I knew Jess and I should have gone trick or treating instead. Maybe next year we'll get some. We break the kiss for air.

"Wow." I said dazedly.

That was the best kiss I ever had. Well, that was only the second kiss I've ever had. What was I suppose to tell Ricky again? It was something important. 

Suddenly, I feel hands grope my ass and become aware of the lower half of body again. Right. I'm  _ hard _ . And I'm a  _ guy _ . 

"Rick-" 

I'm cut off as I'm suddenly lifted into the air and laying on a Queen sized bed in the next moment. Wow. That was impressive. It felt like we were going 50 miles per hour in less than a second. 

Then Ricky's mouth is on my neck and his hand is inching up my left thigh, moving my dress up in the process. I must have blanked out in pure bliss because then Ricky is suddenly shirtless, but his pants are still on. And if he's as painfully hard as I am right now, then that's a problem. 

He dives back in for a sloppy kiss as I remove his belt. There's another few minutes of kissing and rugged breathing before the pants are finally off. I reach for his boxers to uncover the prize underneath. His hands stop mine from pulling them down completely. 

"I don't want to scare you off with how hard I am right now." He says (what I assume is) jokingly.

I lean up for another kiss.

"It's okay. I'm hard too." 

Time seems to freeze once those words left my mouth.

Did I really just say that out loud?!

I lean back.

"Ricky?" I ask uncertainly.

I think he's in shock. He doesn't move at all for a few long seconds. It's like his brain just stopped working because it can't process what I just said. 

"W-what did you say?" He asks unsure.

"I s-said you're h-hard." I fidget awkwardly as I try to get by with a lie. 

"I know what I heard." He looks me in the eyes. "You said  ** _you_ ** were hard, not me." He states in disbelief.

"O-oh, yeah. I meant my n-nipples were hard." 

Hopefully that works. That's believable enough right? Wait, are they hard? I can feel them pressed against my sweater, so technically it's not a lie. 

Ricky continues to stare at me. I pull my legs together and try to somehow magically lengthen my dress by pulling it down to cover up my bulge. It was the wrong move because now Ricky is just staring at my crotch.

"Claire, are you-"

"No!" I answer immediately.

"Like I said, it was my nipples. N-not my, I mean I don't have… You're hard not me!" I'm blushing furiously.

Why did I come here? Why didn't I just go home like I was suppose to? This is so embarrassing and awkward.

"Claire." He gently touches my cheek.

"Be honest." He gazes into my eyes once we make eye contact.

Well, that's vague enough, so I can pick and choose where to be honest and by how much. 

"I-I'm just nervous." I mutter as I look away.

"I've never… done anything like this before."

Which is sadly true.

"It's okay." Ricky replies as he rubs my shoulders to get me to relax.

"What would make you feel more comfortable?"

I thought about it briefly. Maybe…

"Could you turn off the lights?" I ask coyly with a slight blush. (I've come to regret this decision, writing a sex scene with the lights off is a challenge (-.-').

That's the only way I can see this working without him ever finding out. Huh. my intentions have done a complete 180. But we've come too far for me to tell him now.

This could just be a one night stand and we never have to see each other again. Right. I still love Jess. Greg won't last long, they'll go their separate ways eventually. I just have to wait it out. 

Suddenly, the room was thrown into utter darkness. I begin to panic a little.

"Are you sure you want it completely dark like this?" I heard his voice drift towards me,

He couldn't have been more than a few feet away.

"Y-yes, if you don't mind." I hesitantly respond.

"Of course I don't mind." He chuckled.

I felt his hand roam up my body.

"Now, where were we?" He kissed my cheek and then quickly found my lips.

Kissing in the dark is all about trial and error I guess. 

His fingers hook around the hem of my dress as he takes it off and throws it to the side. I hear a mild thud, which I ignore for now. My sweater soon follows it in the abyss. Ricky kisses, suck, and drags his tongue along my neck, leaving a trail of saliva in his wake. I pull him closer towards me, wanting more as I become a puddle of moans and lustful desires.

Then his tongue is circling around my nipples. The nerves in the rest of my body freeze as they concentrate on that wonderful stimulation. When Ricky begins sucking and nibbling, my back arches upward. I'm thrown into a sea of want and need as my mind goes blank. 

If I already feel like I'm seeing fireworks behind my eyes with just my nipples, imagine what it would feel like if… Nope. Not gonna happen. Unless half way through I tell him the truth and by some miracle he's okay with giving another guy head. It's more likely he'll kick me out. 

I'm brought out of my thoughts as I feel Ricky's hands trace over my wool socks and up my thighs, inching closer towards my underwear. He works his mouth down my torso while leaving a trail of kisses in his wake. As he gets closer towards my crotch and I feel a tug on my underwear, I start to panic. 

Shit. Mayday. Abort. 'White Flag' begins to play in the back of my mind.

Think fast. Turn this around. Take… initiative. 

"Ricky?"

As he lifts his head back up, I grab the sides of his face and smash our lips together. He's caught a little by surprise and stumbles slightly through the kiss. I use that moment to flip our bodies and reverse our positions, so I'm on top. I break the kiss and lean back as I straddle Ricky.

Okay. Maybe this can work. That brief moment of hope is quickly shattered as I realize I have no idea what I'm doing. 

Ricky must have noticed me freeze. His hands gripped my hips and ground me back to reality.

"Are you okay with being on top?" 

"Uh, no. Maybe?" 

I've never done this before of course I'm hopeless at this. 

"Just relax. Follow your instincts."

I take a deep breath. Right. My instincts. What are they telling me to do? Well, my body obviously wants… friction. I grind my hips against him. A shock of pleasure spreads throughout my body like I've been struck by lightning. Ricky must have felt something similar because the next thing I know he's the one on top grinding me further into the bed. 

He sucks hickeys along my neck as he continues to provide that delicious friction. His fingers ghost over my nipples. Eventually, the over stimulus becomes too much and I can't hold back any longer. The moans escaping my mouth would make me blush later on as I realize how… vocal I had been. 

I lose myself in a world of pleasure as my toes curl and my vision turns white for a second. I feel Ricky pulse above me as he reaches his own completion. 

We're both completely out of breath.

"W-wow." Ricky manages to gasp out as he regains control of his breathing. "It never... felt that great before."

Well you've probably never grinded yourself against another dude before.

"Y-yeah." I blush red in the darkness.

Here's my chance. While he's still blissed out in euphoria we can go further without him being the wiser. This is also probably the closest I'll ever get to any sort of… lubricant.

I tug down his boxers and straddle him once again in a few fluid motions. I reach behind me and lift up his flaccid member. Then I slowly drag my hand up and down his shaft. 

Yeah. there's no way I'd be able to do this with the lights on. I'm embarrassed enough as it is, but at least Ricky can't see me doing this. Or maybe I do want him to watch I'm doing… As my thoughts run wild, I realize we're both hard again and Ricky's hand is stopping mine from traveling back down his shaft.

"A-are you sure you want go further?" He asks while panting slightly.

"I-I'm sure."

"Then let grab a condom."

As I feel him shift beneath me, I realize I'm so screwed. He'll need to turn on the lights to get it. I reach for where I assume his arm will be to stop him from reaching the lamp on the nightstand.

"Uh, where is it?"

"There's one in my pants pocket. The lights will only be on for a few seconds."

One glimpse is all it takes.

"It's okay, I got it."

"But-"

I cut off Ricky as I left my thumb roam and circle around his tip. Now that Ricky was successfully distracted, I lean over the edge of the bed as I blindly search for his pants. I felt the denim fabric beneath my finger tips and search through his pockets. I feel the plastic material in one the back pockets.

"Found it."

I hand him the condom and hear the wrapper tear open. I crawl back over to him.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah, just… can I stay on top?"

If I go at my own pace, this will proceed a lot smoother.

"Of course."

I take a deep breath and lower my underwear just enough. I guide Ricky's member to my entrance. I can do this. Just go slow and everything will be fine. As I psyche myself up, part of the tip enters me. 

There is some… discomfort, but it's not that bad. Just breathe until it ebbs away. 'A little at a time goes a long way.' Great. Now whenever I think of that saying, I'll remember this moment.

It was a very slow pace at first, I'm actually surprised Ricky managed to stay still for as long as he did. I think I made it passed the tip when I heard Ricky speak up.

"You need to relax more."

It's very difficult to relax in this position. He definitely sensed my dilemma.

"Can I try something?"

"S-sure." I reply hesitantly.

Odds are he has more experience than me at this anyways.

I feel his body shift beneath me as he sits up. I try not wince in the process. I feel his breath about an inch from my face.

"Remember, relax."

As he kisses me and his tongue tangos with mine, his hands roam along my thighs and hips. The motion is soothing and I begin to relax my muscles as I lean further into the kiss. His fingers find their way to my nipples and I let out a small gasp during the kiss at the unexpected movement. 

We break the kiss at intervals to regain some much needed air. As one hand continues to play with my nipple, the other dives back down to my hip to pull me in closer and  _ lower _ . The distracting sensations are helping me. 

My arms wrap around his neck and my hands run through his dark strands. Eventually, it's not enough of a distraction. Ricky's about half way inside as he licks and sucks on my neck. 

Will he notice if I… screw it. I let one hand leave his tousled hair and have it roam along my own length. I guide it against my shaft at a fast pace. 

"Ricky…" I continue to moan my name in his ear as I chase after my own climax.

Time becomes a blur as Ricky buries himself deeper inside of me until he's all the way in. The pain doesn't register to me first and as the angle shifts, he brushes against what I assume was my prostate.

"Uh!" A loud moan escapes from my lips.

He thrusts inside of me hitting that spot again and I'm done.

"Ricky…!" My eyes roll into the back of my head as I release and feel a warm fluid oozing between my fingers.

I think I might have clenched down on Ricky as well when I came since I can feel him throb and pulse inside of me as he releases his own seed into the condom. 

We're both breathing pretty heavily as we both come down from our orgasmic highs. I can almost feel how sore my ass will be tomorrow without all the ecstasy and adrenaline feeling my veins.

"Why anal?"

The question catches me off guard.

"Because… I wanted to try something different?" That definitely sounded more like a question than an answer.

I hear him sigh.

"You've never done anything like this before though, right?" He asks.

I'm starting to regret mentioning I was a virgin earlier. (You and me both Clark. :()

"No." I answer in defeat.

In my defense, I didn't want to be a virgin forever, or at least until my wedding night with Jess. I wanted experience… And know I realize this  _ kind  _ of experience is only useful if Jess suddenly wants to peg me like Vanessa does in the first 'Deadpool' movie. 

"Why didn't you say you wanted anal before?" He asks patiently.

"I thought you wouldn't want to if you knew." 

That and I was more worried about you finding out I'm a guy than a kinky virgin girl obsessed with anal. 

"I don't mind." His thumb traces over my lips. "Your lips are pretty swollen."

"W-whose fault is that?" I ask rhetorically as I blush and look away from him. 

I hear him chuckle.

"Sorry." He tries to move from beneath me.

I wipe one hand against the sheets - 'sorry sheets' - and place the other at what I'm guessing is the center of his chest.

"Wait. I-I think I'm used to… your size now. So if you want to go another round… I'm game."

Before I mumble out anything else, Ricky's on top of me in a split second. He's still inside me and I barely felt him as he flipped us over. 

"Ready for round 3?"

"Are you ready to rumble?" I couldn't help myself as I laughed out a response.

"Go ahead and laugh now." I could just picture the smirk on his face. I feel his lips move against the shell of my ear. "You'll be moaning beneath me once again soon enough."

Ricky was definitely holding back earlier for my benefit. But now that I've challenged the beast, pleasure is the only word I'll know for the foreseeable future. 

It started with quick and sloppy kisses over my body. Then slow thrusts, which built up speed over time as our tongues battled each other. I quickly became a moaning mess beneath him as he somehow managed to hit  _ that  _ spot over and over again.

Either he's figured out I'm a guy and just hasn't acknowledged it yet, or he has great instincts in bed with reading his partners to help them reach an ultimate orgasm. Either way, this will probably be the best sex I have for a while. (Yep.) 

I doubt even Greg comes close to this with Jess. Wait. Why am I thinking about Jess' boyfriend? My train of thought quickly goes off the rails and explodes as Ricky sucks on one nipple and twists the other between his fingers.

"Ah!" As the moans roll off my tongue, my train of thought derails into the abyss of pleasure below. 

What was I thinking about again? Right. Screw Greg. Well, not literally- Ricky moves back to my mouth for sloppy kisses. Right, focus on Danny. I mean Ricky. Damnit. I'm glad I didn't say that out loud. 

Maybe he would consider it as foreplay or kinky if I did? We're definitely passed foreplay at this point though. As the rhythm and pace picks up, it gets harder and harder to keep track of my ADHD mind. 

"R-ricky." My moans and gasps grow louder.

It eventually reaches a crescendo where were both out of breath, sweaty, sticky, and relishing in the aftershock of our orgasms. I must have fallen asleep some time after that because my memories fade there.


	3. Spa Day/Gossip Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to split this chapter in half because a lot of plot elements/reveals we're happening, it was my longest chapter (25 pages) and it would flow better as 2 separate chapters. (Also because it takes hours to type everything up & fix mistakes XD). I also realized I messed up with the Teen Wolf timeline, so the first episode of Season 1 will take place a few months into Scott & Stiles Sophomore year instead of the last day of summer/their first day of school. So that means grass will be introduced next chapter and Teen Wolf characters will come into play for Chapter 5 or Chapter 6 depending on if I split it or not because Chapter 5 is already at 20 pages and is not finished yet. -.-

The next thing I know, I'm waking up to the sun's rays. I slowly blink and rub my eyes as I try to wake myself up. Ricky's still asleep at least. 

He has his right arm around me and I'm snuggled into his side. I also drooled all over his chest, but oh well. I kind of just want to go back to sleep. I stifle a yawn. I close my eyes as I come to a startling realization. 

Wait. The sun's up. Which means… My eyes snap open as I jump up. I search the room for a clock and catch a glimpse of the red numbers on the nightstand. 8:29 am. Shit. I begin to panic. 

'Clark, breath in and out. In and out.' Whew. As I calm myself down, I came up with a plan. I just have to grab my clothes, make it to the bathroom, and get dressed before Ricky wakes up. 

I run my fingers through my wig. At least that managed to stay on. I slowly maneuver out of Ricky's grasp. My movements make me wince as I realize how sticky and sore my body is. I'm definitely adding a shower to that plan.

I tiptoe across the room in my wool socks and underwear. I reach down for my dress and sweater strewn across the floor. My dress feels heavier than it should be. Crap, my phone! I completely forgot it was in my dress pocket. Please don't be cracked.

I slide it out and into my hand. Oh, thank God. It's not cracked, but I do have over 40 messages from Mom and a few from Dad. Luckily, my phone was still on silent.

Mom's messages ranged from 'Where are you?', 'Your father said you weren't home.', 'I'm worried, call me.' to a 'You're grounded.' from both of them. 

Odds are Mom used the 'track my phone' app and found out I went back to the college campus, so she knows I'm not dying in a ditch somewhere. I'll worry about that later. I send a quick 'Okay. :(' to both of them and turn off my phone. 

Back to my mission. I gaze up from the floor to make sure Ricky's still asleep. He is, luckily. I grab my clothes, make a quiet dash to the bathroom, and lock the door behind me. I made it. I sigh in relief. 

I check the cabinets under the sink. I find towels and body wash. Odds are Ricky will wake up once I turn on the shower, but I'd rather not walk home… like this. Shower it is. 

I throw my wig in the sink, turn on the shower, and hop in after undressing. I cover my body in soap from head to toe. "It even smells like Ricky…" I glance down at the body wash label and can't help but snort. Of course it's a mint body wash. 

I quickly rinse and dry myself off. I feel refreshed now. Or at the very least minty fresh. I move my wig out of the sink and replace it with my underwear in an attempt to rid it of… bodily fluids. I soak it for a few minutes as I dry my short hair with the hairdryer I found under the sink and put the rest of my clothes on. 

I drain the sink and squeeze out the excess water. Then I towel dry and use the hairdryer for about 10 minutes. They're finally dry. Now I don't have to worry about flashing people on the walk home.

I put them on. Then I put the wig back on. There's no brush in sight, so the wig will just have to be a mess… just like my natural hair. Oh well. 

I turn my phone back on. It's well past 9:00 am. I'm already grounded, so there's no rush, and Mom is probably holding back Jess' hair right now as she pukes.

Do I have everything? I check my current belongings. I have everything, but the red heels, which I believe are still in the pool room. I take a deep breath as I unlock the bathroom door. I walk out to find Ricky awake in bed.

"Good morning beautiful."

I blush instantly.

"Uh, good morning."

"Do you want breakfast?" He asks.

My stomach growls in response. Curse you stomach for always being hungry!

"'Uh no. I-I'm late for… work. Yep. Don't have time, s-sorry." I rush to the pool room to grab my heels as I speak. 

"Some other time then?"

"Uh, s-sure." I walk out the front door before Ricky can say anything else.

Whew. Crisis averted. As I make my hasty retreat, I almost walk right into someone. 

"Woah, where's the fire?"

"S-sorry." I walk past him, but then I stop to gaze back at him.

He stops at Ricky's door. He must be his roommate. He catches me staring and looks directly at me. He's smiling, like he knows… Shit, he probably saw me walk out the room. 

I blush and avert my gaze. I can just feel him laughing behind my back. I make a run for the dorm exit with the red heels in hand. There's no way I'll even make an attempt at walking in them now. 

It's quiet outside. Most people are probably still sleeping or hung over. I make the long 15 minute trek back home. I slide my key in the door and walk in to find my father in the kitchen. 

"Long night?"

"Yeah."

I can hear him trying to stifle a giggle. "Jessica's idea?"

"Yep." There's no way I'd be dressed like this otherwise.

"You have to learn how to say 'no' to her sometime son."

"I know." I reply with a sigh.

I start to walk past the kitchen.

"And Clark?"

I pause.

"Yes Dad?"

"You're grounded for two weeks."

"Love you too Dad."

I continue the journey to my room, so I can finally change into my pajamas. I change into blue striped pajama bottoms and throw the wig across the room. 

I belly flop onto my bed, so I can go back to sleep. I'm still hungry, but I'll just eat at Mom's house later as she yells at me for breaking curfew. I close my eyes and fall into a deep sleep.

I only manage to sleep for a few hours before my empty stomach growls loudly again.

"Ugh." I move at a snail's pace as I get dressed and head over to Mom's for lunch. Luckily, Jess only lives two houses down from mine. I knock on the door once I arrive. 

"Oh, Clark. What a nice surprise." Mom steps aside to let me in as her voice continues to ooze with sarcasm. 

"Please, make yourself at home and tell me all about your day yesterday." She continues.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I lost track of time and fell asleep. I would have texted you guys otherwise."

"Hmmm."

"I would have."

She sighs in response. "Clark, listen. I know you're growing up. Pretty soon you and Jessica will be heading off to college, but that doesn't mean you can stop being responsible. Parents will always worry about their children, no matter how they old are, so the least you can do is call to let us know you're okay. Alright?"

"Okay." I mumble guiltily.

"And remember, your actions have consequences. That's why you're grounded and Jessica's hungover on the couch."

I hear Jess groan in response and can't help but laugh a little. She has a cold compress on her forehead and a cup of steaming tea sitting on the coffee table next to her. 

"One day you'll have your own kids to worry about and then you'll understand the journey of parenthood."

Probably not. I've babysat enough to know that I don't want kids at this point.

"I'm assuming you stopped by for lunch?"

"Yep."

I must have started salivating because Mom responded with "No drooling on the carpet." She tried to hide her smile. 

She walks to the kitchen and comes back with a platter of burgers and fries. She sets it on the coffee table.

"Enjoy."

Oh, I will. I decide to sit on the couch opposite of Jess and tear my way through the buffet of food. I'm on my third burger when I hear Jess groan loudly at my poor eating habits and turn away.

"Ugh. Do you always have to eat like a pig?"

I wait to swallow before I answer her.

"It's the only way I know how to."

She giggles.

"Ugh. It hurts to laugh."

"Drink your tea!" I hear Mom yell out from another room.

Slowly, Jess sits up and reaches for the tea. She takes a few hesitant sips from the still hot cup. 

"What kind of tea is it?"

"Peppermint." 

Jess starts to look better as she breathes in the aroma and continues to drink. More than half the food is gone by the time she finishes it and Mom refills her tea cup. 

"Thanks Mom."

"You're welcome, feeling better?"

"Yeah. I don't feel as bad as this morning at least." They both grimace at the memory.

"Just keep drinking."

"I will."

Mom leaves the living room to do chores around the house. 

"So?" Jess asks.

"So what?"

"What were you doing after Mom picked us up?"

I look anywhere but at Jess nervously.

"Uh, nothing."

"Really?" She raises an eyebrow in doubt.

I move to the other couch to sit beside her in case Mom overhears. 

"I hung out with someone I met at the party." 

"You made a new friend?" She asks excitedly.

"Kind of?"

"Well, what did you do?"

Each other.

"W-we played pool."

For about a minute.

"That's it?" She frowns.

"Yep."

"You're telling me, you played pool with a stranger for hours?"

I just nod in response.

"What about video games?"

"Nope."

"Board games?"

"No."

"Twister?"

"Why would I play Twister with someone I just met? Can you even play Twister with two people?"

"Hmm. Greg and I have." She says dreamily.

I pause. Then blush.

"I really don't want to imagine you and Greg… playing Twister." I finish in embarrassment.

"Relax. I'm only teasing you." She pinches my cheek.

I half-heartedly slap her hand away.

"So you really did nothing else?"

"How many times do I have to tell you we didn't?" I ask exasperated.

"Until I actually believe you."

I groan in response.

"Did you at least get their name?"

"Ricky."

Telling Jess his name couldn't hurt right?

"Wait. Was Ricky that Grease guy you were talking to at the party?"

"Yes." I admit in surprise. "How did you know?"

"I check in on you at parties too you know." She winks at me.

First time I'm hearing of this, but it's nice to know in a way.

"Does he know?"

"Know what?"

We stare at each other blankly before I turn away first, guilt ridden.

"Oh my God! You didn't tell him?!"

"Shhh!" I tried to calm Jess down before Mom heard her.

"It… uh never came up."

"What do you mean it never came up?" She whispers harshly. "You're telling me, you spent hours with Ricky, slept over at his dorm apparently because you didn't come back home until this morning, and never once told him you were a boy?" She rants.

"No." I sigh.

"Really Clark?" She asks with a deadpan expression.

"I planned to!" I whisper yell back. "That's why I went to his dorm. I felt bad about not telling him at the party after he kis-" I shut my mouth.

"After he what?" Jess asks as she stares me down.

"He uh… asked for my number?"

Good save.

"Really? Because it sounded like you were about to say kiss." She states skeptically.

"W-why would he do that?" I blush and avoid her penetrating gaze.

"I don't know if you've noticed this Clark, but you make a very convincing girl."

I'm about to deny it when she continues.

"A  _ very  _ flat-chested girl, but a girl nonetheless." 

"I'm mildly offended."

Should I have worn fake breasts with Cher outfit?

She ignores me and continues.

"You even managed to fool Greg for a few minutes."

"I- Wait, I did?" I asked surprised.

"Yep, I had to correct him."

Well, in hindsight, that's not at all surprising. Greg is an idiot after all.

"Anyways, I got off track. He did kiss you didn't he? What was it like?" She gushes and grabs my hands.

"Chocolate and mint." I say without thinking.

She's confused at first, but then her eyes light up.

"You  _ tasted _ him?" She whispers next to me.

"N-no, and don't say it like that." I blush the brightest crimson in the world.

"Aww. Your blushing tells me everything." She begins to ramble on. " And if you managed to taste him that much… that means there was tongue involved."

"Please stop talking."

"So you french kiss some guy at a party, don't tell him you're a boy, feel guilty, go to his dorm to tell him, but end up playing pool all night instead?"

"Y-yeah." I look aways from Jess nervously.

"That's all?" She leans in closer to try to intimidate me.

"T-that's what happened."

Her eyes trail down my body, but pause at my neck. 

"Oh yeah? Then where did you get this hickey?" She asks with a smirk.

I quickly try to hide it.

"What hickey?"

I should have worn a turtleneck or something.

"I know what a hickey looks like Clark. Just give it up already. You know what a terrible liar you are." 

Sadly, I do.

"Fine. We made out and I didn't tell him the truth."

Half-truth.

"So you and…?"

"Ricky."

"You and Ricky, just made out all night?" She closes in on me.

I back away towards the other end of the couch. I wince at the pain my movements cause. I'm still very sore. Jess must have noticed. She studies me critically.

"W-what?" I ask. 

"Did...you…?" She starts hesitantly. "No, you… couldn't have? You're not…" 

I think she's talking more to herself than to me at this point.

My expression must have given her a clue because she has a 'eureka' moment.

"Oh my god. You did, didn't you? You went all the way with Ricky?!" She whisper shouts. 

"Define all the way." I try to prolong the inevitable.

"He put his-" 

I cover her mouth to stop her from continuing. I just nod to get it over with. She moves my hand away.

"So you like dudes?"

"A-apparently?"

I definitely wasn't thinking rationally. He was a good kisser though… I stare off into space.

"Earth to Clark." She snaps her fingers in front of me.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said, he still doesn't know after…" She makes a vulgar gesture with her hands.

"The l-lights were off."

"He never felt… that." She points to my crotch.

"I maneuvered my way around that." I blush in admittance.

This is such an awkward conversation.

"Then what happened the next morning?"

"I grabbed my clothes, showered, and then left."

"He stayed asleep?"

"Well, he… uh woke up and offered me breakfast."

"Awww."

"But I lied about having work and just left."

"You turned down food?" She asks shocked.

"Hey! I'm not a food addict or something."

"I've known you almost all my life, Clark and never once have you turned down food. Especially,  _ free _ food." She states matter of factly.

"I was embarrassed. What was I supposed to do? Eat breakfast with him and blurt out 'I'm a guy' as he chokes on a sausage and I have to do the Heimlich maneuver?"

"Yes."

I give her an 'are you serious' look.

"At least then he'd be alive, know the truth, and not think you're a one night stand that never called him back."

Maybe Jess was right, but it's too late now. I'm never putting on that wig again.

"It's too late. Claire will never see the light of day again." I say with confidence.

"Claire?" She asks confused. "Wait. Don't tell me… you named the girl version of yourself?" She asks in between a fit of giggles.

"What's wrong with that?" I ask defensively.

"Oh, nothing."

I cross my arms and look away. "Hmph."

"I would be a Jessie by the way." She says to lighten the mood.

I'll take that as a consolation prize.

"I can picture it now."

We both laugh.

"What if you run into Ricky again?"

"I won't run into him."

"We live in a relatively small town, Clark."

" _ Claire  _ won't run into him. He won't recognize me dressed like this."

"Are you sure? A wig and a dress aren't much of a disguise. He could also recognize your voice."

Shit. He could, but… "W-we really didn't talk that much…"

Jess wiggles her eyebrows exaggeratedly.

"Stop that."

She stops, but continues to smile smugly.

"In a perfect world, I'll never see Ricky again."

And marry Jess. Or Greg at this point if I decide to go that route. Maybe I'm bi? 

"And  _ when  _ you see him again?" She questions realistically.

I sigh. "I guess I'll just have to deal with the consequences."

And consequences there shall be...

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time on: I Swear I Was Straight Before I Met You
> 
> "Clark! It's just grass! Calm down."  
I struggle in her grip.  
"It's been trying to kill me for the past week!"  
"It's grass." She says calmly.  
It's… just grass. It gains nothing by killing me.  
"I still hate it." I pout grumpily.  
"I know, I know." Jess pats my shoulder reassuringly.


	4. My Worst Enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is where things begin to take a turn for adventure and the supernatural.... and maybe some slight horror along the way. Muhahahaha >:D

The school week went by fast. I aced Mr. Lenard's history test and won the bet against Jess for Mom's ginger bread muffins. I was also about half way through my house arrest, so that was good news. Everything was going great… except weird things kept happening around me.

It started with being tripped by grass. Every time I would walk with Jess to and from school, I would fall flat on my face if I was anywhere near grass. 

The first time it happened: 

"Clark, are you okay?" Jess asked.

"Y-yeah." I groaned from the ground. I stood up. "That was weird, it was like...the grass...was grabbing my ankle."

She would laugh it off. "Don't be silly Clark, the grass isn't sentient and it's not out to get you."

A few days into the week, I became very wary around grass. It continued to happen every _ fucking _time. Even when I tried to actively avoid it. Jess would just laugh at my misery. It wasn't until science class on Thursday that Jess believed something weird was going on.

She pulled me aside after class to the back of the classroom.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Ms. Petunia's plants." She says flustered.

"What about them?" I raise an eyebrow.

"They've been dead for weeks." She responds.

"Yeah, and…?"

"Look at them now Clark!" She almost shouts back.

I look back towards the window sill. The plants were alive and...flourishing?

"H-how?" I asked amazed.

"They just bloomed after you walked by them."

"They d-did?"

"Yep. Luckily, I think I'm the only one who noticed. The rest of the class was pretty much asleep." 'As usual' goes unsaid.

"Maybe you're a witch or something?" She asks excitedly.

"Warlock." I correct her. "And I doubt it. My Dad would have said something right? And why would my powers start manifesting now?" I wonder aloud.

"I don't know. Maybe...something triggered it?"

"How?"

She shrugs in response.

We spent the rest of the day brainstorming, but couldn't really come up with anything.

Friday morning took another turn. The grass tripped me for the umpteenth _ flipping _time and I finally had enough.

"Fuck you grass!" I yell angrily.

I managed to uproot a patch of grass before Jess pulls me back.

"Clark! It's just grass! Calm down."

I struggle in her grip.

"It's been trying to _ kill _me for the past week!"

"It's _ grass _." She says calmly.

It's… just grass. It gains nothing by killing me.

"I still hate it." I pout grumpily.

"I know, I know." Jess pats my shoulder reassuringly.

The grass didn't trip me again on the walk back home. I'd like to think it finally learned its lesson. 

Saturday morning I'm awoken by Jess.

"Jess? It's 8 am, why are you calling me?" I ask groggily.

"Because I have some unbelievable news." She says excitedly.

"What is it?" I humor her.

"I just sent you a pic of it."

It's a picture of...a tree?

"Jess, why did you wake me up at 8 in the morning to look at a picture of a tree?" I ask grumply. 

"Remember when you tore up the grass yesterday?"

"Yes."

How could I forget? The great grass war of '89.

"There's a tree there now!"

I pause to think. "You mean someone planted a tree there?" I ask hopefully.

"I _ mean _a tree grew there overnight and no one knows how."

Hmmm. So I have plant powers? 

"I'll text Dad and ask him if plant powers run in the family." I hang up and go back to sleep promptly.

I wake up later to make myself a late breakfast. 

Dad just texted me back with 'We'll have this conversation when I get back home.'

So it's safe to assume plant powers did run in the family. I cleaned and tried to keep myself busy until Dad got back at 10 pm. The question bursts from me as soon as he walks through the door.

"Do you have plant powers?"

"No." He chuckles. "You get it from your mother."

We sit in the living room because apparently 'this is a conversation best had while sitting down'. 

"Your mother was a nature fairy."

Okay. Apparently it was.

"What?" I ask shocked.

These were the last words I expected to come out of my father's mouth.

"She was part of the fae community. She said since you would essentially be a half-ling, that she didn't expect you to have access to your powers until adulthood. I thought I had at least two more years to come up with a speech." He chuckles forlornly. 

"So 18 is when you reach adulthood in the...fae community?"

"That or you lose your virginity."

I choke on my spit a little, but luckily Dad doesn't notice.

"But you're still a virgin, since you're obsessed with Jessica." 'And that's never going to happen' goes unsaid.

Thanks for the vote of confidence Dad.

"So odds are you're just an early bloomer, it happens."

"So what do I do with these powers?"

"Learn to control them. Go to the woods and practice. Follow your instincts."

"That's it? There's no guide book or anything?"

"Nope. Just learn your limits and try not to wear yourself out."

"Okay. What about the rest of the fae community? Couldn't I just ask them for help with controlling my powers?"

"No, since you're a half-ling, they wouldn't give you the time of day."

"So they're racist?"

"Basically." My father agrees.

The conversation ends there, so I head to bed with my thoughts.

'So because I...slept with Ricky, I got plant powers.' Well, technically doing that unlocked my fae DNA, which gave me plant powers. 'Thanks Ricky.' 

Now that I'm thinking about Ricky… Maybe he's some kind of mythical creature too? He had his powers since he was 13 or before that because his memories start there. If he was born with them though, wouldn't his family look for him? But if his immediate family was dead and he was a half-ling or something, would the rest of said mythical creature race ignore him like the rest of the fae community? Possibly.

"Ugh. My brain hurts."

I should just go to sleep. Save my problems and other people's problems for tomorrow.

My grounding limitations were expanded upon the next day. Before I could only go to school, home, and Jess' house. Basically, I couldn't go to any 'fun' places with Jess, which included food places. 

My Dad used my one weakness (two if I count magic) against me. Goodbye BBQ, sea food, and oreo ice cream. I'll see you again next week. 

Now, I could go to the forest at least. It was for training with my powers alone, but at least it gave me something fun to do on a Sunday.

I went down stairs and was greeted by the smell of breakfast. A rarity. Dad tossed me a packed lunch with two water bottles strapped to the side. 

"Stay hydrated and try not to burn down the forest. I gotta run."

"No promises!" I yell back as my father walks out the front door. 

I eat my simple breakfast of eggs and toast with a glass of orange juice. I shower and then dress myself in jeans, a white long sleeved shirt with an open short sleeved plaid shirt over that, and my trusty faded yellow sneakers. 

I arrive to the forest a little before noon with my lunch and my very limited knowledge about plant powers.

Maybe I should meditate and center myself with the earth or nature or something? I have no idea what I'm doing, but I sit criss cross applesauce on the grass in the middle of the forest anyways. 

I try to take control of my powers and grow something. What should I grow? A flower maybe? I managed to grow an entire tree overnight and revive some plants so far. Growing a single flower should be easy. 

I concentrate. I close my eyes and picture a rose blooming. I open my eyes to check on my progress. I sigh in disappointment. All I've managed to grow is a dandelion. A _ weed _ , not a flower. It's a start though. I try again and close my eyes. I'm not picky at this point, any flower will do. As long as it's a _ flower _. 

It feels like hours tick by and I'm still no closer to growing a flower. I'm just surrounded by a huge field of dandelions with no flower in sight. I'm on the verge of giving up and on my final try when I spot a glimpse of yellow in a sea of white. 

It's a sunflower. It's not a rose, but it's better than another fucking dandelion popping up again. I decide to stop there for today. I'm tired and hungry. I don't have the energy to continue. 

I rise up in an effort to spot my lunch somewhere in the sea of dandelions. That's when I feel it again. That _ tug _ on my ankle. I quickly trip onto the forest floor, sending dandelion particles everywhere. I begin sneezing as they tickle my nose. 

"Fuck -_ achoo _ you - _ achoo _grass!"

My sneezing continues for about 5 more minutes until it finally stops. My nose is sore and runny from the abuse it suffered. 

The grass drags my lunch pack to me as an apology. 

"Oh now you're helping me?" I ask incredulously.

A few strands of grass bend up and down as a nod.

"It's too late. One act of kindness doesn't negate the hundreds of times you've tripped me. It would take a _ lot _ more than that." I reach for my lunch. "Fuck you." I say with finality.

The grass whips across my hand and leaves a thin gash behind.

"Ow!" I quickly retract my hand. "See? This is why I don't like you."

I swing the strap of my packed lunch over my shoulder. I could just feel the smugness rolling from the grass as it moved. It made a crude gesture with it's strands as if calling me an 'asshole'. I'm not proud to admit that my anger got the best of me in that moment and I would come to regret what I said next.

"Bitch."

I start to walk away.

But then I pause once I realize how dead silent the forest became. Wasn't there a breeze whooshing by a second ago? Then I see a thing of nightmares begin to form before my eyes. The grass begins to morph and molds itself together. 

My eyes slowly widen in horror as I realize what it's doing. It was taunting me as if it was saying 'who's the bitch now?' as it grew in size. When it stopped growing, it was over 20 feet tall like a megazord. A non-friendly and very _ pissed _off megazord. 

"Shit!"

I run, but I'm not fast enough to escape it's clutches. The smaller strands trip me again as the bigger hand of the grass golem grabs my foot and drags me deeper into the forest closer towards it. 

I look back in terror and scream. 

'It's going to eat me. This is how I'm going to die: eaten by grass!'

My nails dig into the forest floor as I try to escape it's wrath. It's not working.

"Fuck!"

Think. What can I do? I try calling on my plant powers. I manage to knock down two trees on top of the grass golem with the little energy I have left. I've only managed to delay the inevitable. 

I'm still trapped in it's grip, but it's no longer dragging me towards it. I scream for help. For who? I don't know. Maybe someone with a blowtorch? Jess, preferably. Right now I'm really wishing I had fire powers. 

It begins to drag me again. I keep screaming in vain. Hopefully, I black out before I'm eaten. The small mercies.

In a gust of wind, help arrives. He tears the grass golem's arm in half and rips off the other half still latched onto me. He lifts me off the ground and I move my arms over his shoulders and place them behind his neck. My hero. Literally. 

"Are you okay?" He asks.

'Wait...those green eyes.' "Ricky?" I ask surprised.

He looks back at me confused. "Do I know you?"

Uh oh. "Umm." I look away unsure of what to say.

Then I remember the grass golem, who just managed to regrow its' limb.

"I'll explain later. Just get me out of here!"

He seems to remember the monster as well.

"Right."

He speeds off with me in his arms. We stop half way across town by the college campus. He lets me down. My legs wobble from the whiplash.

"Are you okay? I've never carried someone at super speed before." He states with concern.

"I'm f-fine." I immediately retract that statement. "I'm n-not fine."

My stomach tries to escape through my throat. I puke into the grass beside us. Ricky pats my back encouragingly while he looks away and tries not to gag himself as I continue to puke my guts out. 

I eventually stop and rinse out my mouth with one of the water bottles. At least I managed to save my lunch pack in the scuffle. A new surge of terror runs through my body. 

"Y-you don't think that grass golem will follow me do you?"

"I don't think so. I didn't hear it leave the forest."

"You can hear from that far away?" I ask amazed.

"Y-yeah." He replies uncomfortable.

Right. Secrecy and government run experiments if they find out about his powers. I guess that includes me too now with my plant powers. Shit. 

He changes the subject.

"How do you know me?"

"Would you believe me if I said I was a shape-shifter?"

He pauses for a moment to think.

"No." He says with confidence.

Well, okay then. So much for plan 'A'. I guess honesty is my best option then. He did kind of save my life after all (and unlocked my plant powers). 

"I'm Clark." I pause for dramatic effect as I stick my hand out for a handshake. "But…"

He pauses as he reaches to shake my hand. 

"Y-you know me as...Claire." I say with a crimson blush.

"C-claire?"

I nod.

"Cher from Clueless Claire?"

That's almost a tongue twister. I nod again.

"But…" He motions towards my head.

"A wig."

"The dress?"

"My friend Jess chose the theme this year."

"The s-sex?"

I blush even more in embarrassment. "I-I don't know. You were my first k-kiss. I was pretty sure I was straight and in love with Jess until that happened."

"So just to be clear, you're really-"

"A boy, yes."

He groans. "Next you'll tell me you're not even in college." He mutters.

I wince.

He catches it.

"Please tell me you're in college."

"I'm almost in college." I say softly. "I'm a junior." I admit.

"I'm going to jail."

"No you won't." I try to reassure him. "Jess' boyfriend Greg is in college and they go at it like rabbits."

They also got together a year ago before he turned 18, but the details don't really matter. 

"'Studying to be a lawyer' Greg?"

"Yep. That's him." 

Wow. Greg must be really bragging about himself.

"You know him?" I ask.

"We had a few classes together."

Ah, that explains it.

"Anyways, I'll be 21 in a few months."

Ouch. Okay, the age gap was bigger than I thought. I just _ turned _16 last September and it's the beginning of November now.

"Let's just forget Claire ever happened. Okay?"

He looks unsure.

"For both our sakes." I press.

Eventually relents. "Fine." He sighs.

"How did you find me in the forest?" I change the subject.

"I heard you screaming while on a jog."

Ugh. Exercise. Oh right he has super hearing. Adding that to the list of his known abilities. 

"Why was a...grass…?"

"Grass golem."

"Why was a grass golem after you?"

"I pissed off the wrong patch of grass." I look off into the distance.

"What?"

"I have plant powers because I'm half nature fairy and ever since you 'unlocked' my powers, this petty piece of fucking grass has been tripping me every chance it gets." I finish my rant angrily.

"How does grass go from tripping you to _ killing _you?"

"I called it a bitch." I mumble.

"You called _ grass _ a bitch?"

I nod.

"Really?" He asks.

"It wasn't one of my brightest moments, but you would be angry and frustrated too if you were tripped everyday for no apparent reason." The fact that the grass has a reason now goes unsaid.

Ricky, sensing the rabbit hole this conversation is headed towards, latches onto something else I said. 

"What did you mean when you said I 'unlocked' your powers?" 

Shit. 

"S-since I'm only half nature fairy, I don't get access to my powers until I reach adulthood."

"But your not an-"

"There are other ways to reach adulthood besides age." I look away, blushing slightly.

"Oh." Realization dawns on Ricky.

Well, this is awkward.

"Thanks for saving my life. I gotta run."

"Wait." He grabs my wrist. "Try not to get killed by grass." He says with a slight smile.

"No promises." I smile back.

I make the 15 minute walk to Mom's house for an early dinner. It's past 5 pm when I arrive. It's only when I finally relax that I register the pain.

'Fuck. My ankle feels like it's been clawed at.' Which was what basically happened.

The adrenaline must have numbed the pain, but it's obviously run its' course. 

I pull forth enough strength to knock. Jess opens the door.

"Hi Clark- Clark, what happened?!" She asks in concern.

"I was...attacked by the grass...again."

I lose my balance and pass out, but I think Jess managed to catch me in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time on: I Swear I Was Straight Before I Met You
> 
> "Please, no more…" My chin was lifted to meet it's gaze.
> 
> 'If you come to the forest again, I'll be waiting for you.' It smiled back at me.
> 
> I woke up in a cold sweat. My breathing was out of control. Every nerve in my body was on edge. My bedroom was covered in dark shadows. And the shadows were...moving?!
> 
> As my panic rises, I reach for the lamp beside my bed.


	5. Nightmare on Golem Street/ Grass' Bitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares and monster fights. 'nough said. :3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pretty long chapter and this is where things really kick off. You can start to see the direction this story his going with this chapter (I myself had no idea where it was going until this point. XD). Anyways, enjoy! :D

Clifford Kane's Pov: 

It was just a little past 5 pm when I got the news in the middle of my shift.

"Dr. Kane!"

"Yes, Dawnson?"

My colleague seemed to be out of breath. 

"It's your son, he was just wheeled into the E.R."

Worry begins to eat away at me. 

"What happened?"

"I don't know, but he was unconscious. Dr. Stewart is looking him over now."

"Thank you, Dawnson. I'll look into it."

"No problem."

I waited until Stewart was done with her examination to ask about my son. 

"He'll be okay." She said.

I feel a weight lift off my shoulders. 

"He has a deep wound on his ankle. I'm monitoring it in case of an infection, but other than that he's fine. He just seems fatigued."

"Thank _you_, Stewart."

"Anytime."

I'm called back into the fray when a new patient arrives. I'm not as worried now that I know my son is in good hands. I'm still left to wonder  _ what  _ exactly...happened to get him sent to the E.R., but I put that thought away for now as I continue my shift for the next few hours.

My question is answered when I head to my son's room. Jessica is by his bedside with dried tears while her mother tries not to let her worry show in the corner. 

"What happened?" I ask.

Jessica seems surprised at my presence at first, but is the first to answer.

"He as attacked...by grass."

That statement sparks a million more questions. 

"How… can that happen?"

He should be able to control nature. Although he's a beginner, at the very  _ least _ he shouldn't be attacked by nature itself. In the midst of my confusion, I spot my son waking up.

Clark's Pov: 

I wake up to the sounds of people talking and bright lights.

"Ugh. W-where am I?"

"Clark!" 

Jess body slams me as some kind of attempt at a hug.

"Ow."

"S-sorry." She backs away apologetically.

"You're in the hospital Clark." Mom brushes a few strands of hair out of my face. 

"So, Clark."

My head snaps to the voice of my father.

"How  _ exactly _ were you attacked by  _ grass _ ?" He continues.

"Um, it transformed into a giant grass golem and tried to eat me." I said sheepishly.

Mom's hand pauses in her brushing.

"That never happened to your mother." I hear her mumble.

"What?" I ask her in shock.

She  _ knew _ ?

"You knew my mom was a nature fairy?"

"Of course I knew. We were best friends when I was in college, remember?"

Right. They lost touch after graduating and ran into each other again when they put Jess and me in ballet class when we were little. 

"You're a nature fairy!" Jess yells.

I wince at the volume. Crap, I forgot to tell Jess. 

"Technically, I'm only half nature fairy."

"That's still cool."

Yes, I guess it is.

"So how does practicing your powers in the woods lead to grass trying to kill you?" My father asks.

Jess answers before I get the chance.

"Well, it was tripping him all week. I didn't think it would ever actually try to kill him."

"I'm just now hearing about this?" He asks.

Mom seems just as upset.

"Sorry." I said with my head down in regret.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you Clark. I'll burn every patch of grass I see from now on." Jess said triumphantly.

I laugh a little. "Thanks Jess." I said while wiping away fake tears.

After about a day of observation, I'm sent home by Tuesday morning with crutches. Once I slept (and ate a few of Mom's home cooked meals) my wound began to heal faster. So by the time I was released, the wound was closing and I could walk with a limp. 

Jess brought me my homework and notes from the classes I missed. I wouldn't be returning to school until the following week. I worked on my homework in my room as I tried to forget about my traumatising e _ xperience _ . The distraction didn't work for long. 

By Wednesday night, I was tossing and turning with nightmares.

I was being chased in the forest again. I was grabbed from behind mid run and was turned around to face it. I was trapped in its' painful grip as I struggled to free myself. 

'Got you.'

I froze.

It seemed to speak within my mind. I was terrified. I redoubled my efforts at escaping and screamed for help. Hoping for a rescue that would never come. 

"Clark!"

Jess appears out of nowhere with a molotov in hand.

She throws it, but a long strand of grass rises from the ground and catches it with lightning fast reflexes. It then tosses it back to her. 

I watch in horror as it burns her alive. Her screams of agony make me turn away as her burnt flesh begins to peel away and form charcoal clumps on the ground. 

"No!" I cry out in tears. "Please, stop!" I beg.

My pleas fall on deaf ears as Jess' screams die out and there is only a pile of ash left in her wake. I tried to break free from the golem's grip once more. I had to get out of here. 

It was then that Ricky appeared. He tried to free me from the monster's death grip, but it was no use. His super strength meant nothing to it.

Whip-like strands of grass bound him and strung him up.

"Ricky!"

I could hear bones crack as pressure was applied to his limbs and screams tore through his throat. I couldn't watch him suffer anymore, so iclosed my eyes. But the grass golem couldn't have that, it pried open my eyes and forced me to watch it torture Ricky. 

It...tore him...apart. It ripped off his arms and tore him in half from the waist down. I was forced to watch as blood splurted everywhere and organs slowly descended to the forest floor. I was covered...in blood...his blood.

I was shocked into despair. My tears flowed freely.

"No more…"

I couldn't take this anymore. I didn't want to see anyone else die. Next could be Mom or my father.

"Please, no more…" My chin was lifted to meet it's gaze.

'If you come to the forest again, I'll be waiting for you.' It smiled back at me.

I woke up in a cold sweat. My breathing was out of control. Every nerve in my body was on edge. My bedroom was covered in dark shadows. And the shadows were...moving?!

As my panic rises, I reach for the lamp beside my bed.

My room was covered in vines. The more I panicked, the faster they grew. I had to calm down. Just breathe  _ in  _ and  _ out _ slowly. 

As I calmed down, the vines stopped moving and growing. Now I just have to get rid of them. I closed my eyes and focused. I imagined the vines receding out the window and returning to the earth. 

When I opened my eyes again, the vines were gone. I release a sigh of relief. Hopefully, the neighbors didn't see vines suddenly moving on their own.

When I begin to relax, that's when I notice the bruises on my arms. The cover most of my upper arms in an angry red. I rush to the bathroom. After I flip the light switch, I can hardly believe the image staring back at me in the mirror. 

Two red imprints litter my skin...in the same spot the golem grabbed me. As I turn my body, I see finger-like impressions on the sides of my arms. My fear skyrockets.

T-this can't be real. I have to be still dreaming. As time passes, I come to a startling realization...I'm awake. 

The next two nights were about the same. The grass golem would threaten the lives of people I knew and then kill them gruesomely as it made me watch. 

Friday night, I was forced to watch it eat the internal organs of my history teacher. 

The squelching noises it made as it ate and slurped up the intestines became too much for me. The red chunks of human flesh left over afterwards made me sick to my stomach. 

So Saturday morning, after puking in the toilet, I decided to give up on sleep altogether. 

I skipped breakfast and avoided any type of meat at all costs. There was no way I could consume any after witnessing...that in my nightmares. I was basically a vegetarian now.

Coincidentally, my grounding was now officially over. I could roam the town as I pleased. So after I showered, cleaned my room, and ate carrot sticks along with a few apples, I went for a walk. 

I was sticking to long-sleeved shirts or sweaters for the time being. The first reason for that was to hide the red bruises for my own peace of mind. I also really didn't want to admit what was happening to my father, Mom, or Jess...that would just make my current situation all the more real. 

The second reason was more practical and believable. It was still chilly outside as it was nearing the end of Fall.

The walk did ese my mind a little. It was relaxing as I felt the cool breeze reach me with every step I took. I stuck close to the neighborhood, I didn't want to venture too close to the shops and restaurants and empty my stomach on the sidewalk. 

After about an hour of walking back and forth, I returned home. I tried to keep myself busy so I wouldn't fall asleep. I finished the rest of my homework, texted Jess for a few hours, and watched TV. 

By 2 am, I resorted to playing Spider Solitaire in my room in an attempt to keep myself awake. I even had multiple alarms set on my phone to ring every two hours in case I do fall asleep. 

I think it was past 6 am and three episodes of Law & Order: SVU that I fell asleep. I woke up about an hour later to my alarm. No nightmares this time. Maybe this could work. If I can take 1-2 hour naps spread throughout the day, I could avoid REM and dreaming altogether. 

I set five more one hour long alarms to test my theory. I go through a surreal pattern of falling asleep and waking up repeatedly until noon. It worked, no nightmares. I still feel tired and look dead on my feet, but some sleep is better than no sleep right? 

Besides, it's only a temporary solution. I can't survive like this forever. I have to find a way to get the grass to leave me alone. No matter how much I hated it, I would rather the grass go back to tripping me everyday than haunting my dreams. Now if only I could build up the courage to face it. 

My plans are put on hold as my stomach growls loudly. Food first. Going from eating mostly meat to an all fruit and veggie diet was a drastic change. I think I'm even hungrier now since eating healthy is not as filling as meat is. 

I open up the fridge and grab a bag of carrot sticks. They quickly became my favorite vegetable since they don't require a lot of prep work. I couldn't just eat plain carrot everyday though. I had to mix it up. Maybe I can add a dip? 

I scan the ingredients in the fridge. My eyes are drawn to the mustard. It was my favorite condiment to use for hot dogs and since I wouldn't be eating those for a while...why not?

I grab the mustard and a plate. I squeeze some mustard onto the plate and timidly dip a carrot in it. It tastes...not that bad actually. It adds a new layer of spice to the carrot. That combined with the carrot's texture made it the perfect snack. I eat with more vigor and manage to scarf down the whole bag of carrot sticks. 

I shower and then decide to go for another walk. It helps clear my mind as I walk aimlessly and let my thoughts wonder. I zone out for a while until I hear someone call my name. 

"Clark!"

I jump.

Then I flashback to my nightmares, to Jess screaming my name just before she was...burned alive. 

"Clark, are you okay?"

I'm startled again by a voice.

It's Ricky. He's gripping my shoulders and looking me over in concern. "I-I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look like you haven't had much sleep."

"I'll...be okay." I said as I try to convince myself as much as Ricky. 

He seems unconvinced, but lets it go for now. 

"I was going to ask for your help with something tonight since you're one of the only people who know about my powers, but now that I think about it. It might be a bad idea." He finished somewhat nervously. 

"What did you need help with?"

Any distraction would be nice to have.

"Have you heard of the animal attacks outside the forest?"

"No, I haven't really been watching the news since I was released from the hospital."

"You were in the hospital?!" He exclaims shocked.

Shit. I probably shouldn't have worried him more.

"The g-golem messed up my ankle more than I thought when it dragged me through the forest. It was completely healed within a few days though once I got some rest."

I lift up my pants' leg to show him. 

"See, all I have left is a few scars."

And those will probably be gone in another week or so. 

"Next time, promise me we'll look over all your injuries no matter how small." He said with a sigh.

"Promise."

I could at least keep this promise.

"Good." He said with a small smile. 

I can't help but smile back at him. Then I remember the animal attacks. 

"So, animals have been attacked near the forest?"

"Yes, they think some kind of big cat did it."

There had to be more to this than just that. 

"And what do  _ you _ think?"

"I can...sense something in the forest sometimes. I don't know what it is, but all I know is that it's not a cat or the monster that attacked you. It's something else entirely and it...feels familiar."

That intrigued me.

"Familiar how?"

"I know I've sensed something like this before. I can't put a name to it yet, but it's right on the tip of my tongue."

"Do you think whatever it is, it will help you remember your past?"

"Maybe. I don't know for sure, but...I can feel it calling out to me. I have to check it out."

"So I'm like back up?"

"Yeah, basically. I know this is a big ask and you probably never want to step foot in that forest again." 

That was an understatement. 

"But you're the only person I can ask for help. Plus you have powers." 

So I'm not a complete liability goes unsaid. 

"Powers that I can't control." 

"Something is better than nothing."

"All I've managed to grow so far are vines, dandelions, and a tree. And the vines and tree were on accident!" I yell almost hysterical.

"I know I'm asking a lot from you, but please. I need your help. Maybe we can take out the monster in the forest too." 

I doubt that. I don't even know how to take out the grass golem without burning down the forest. But it would give me the chance to stop my nightmares once and for all. And finally get a full night of sleep again. My mind was made up. 

"Okay, fine. I'll help you." I reluctantly agree. 

"Thanks."

I'll probably regret this decision, but I can't let the fear of the unknown control me forever. 

We exchange cell phone numbers and agree to meet up at 9 pm that night on campus. As the meeting time grows closer, I think about texting Ricky and canceling. 

Maybe I don't have the nerve for this. I might be putting Ricky's life in danger by going with him. The grass golem could easily kill him as it...demonstrated numerous times before in my nightmares. 

But then again, if I don't go with him, he'll have to deal with whatever is attacking animals  _ and _ the golem on his own. A war on two fronts. The possibilities of what could go wrong were slowly eating away at me, but I had to at least  _ try _ . 

I couldn't let Ricky protect me forever, I had to fight my own battles instead of remaining the damsel in distress. 

Around 8:30 pm I wrote a note for my father in case I didn't make it back before curfew or before he got back from work. I just said I would be gone for a few hours with a new friend and work on controlling my powers. Which was true, I just left out the parts about returning to the forest (which my father forbade me from doing) and fighting monsters. 

Yeah, it was probably for the best that I leave out those details and not worry him anymore than I already have. 

I meet up with Ricky just before 9 pm. 

"Ready?" He asks.

"Not really."

I just want to get this over with though and I have school tomorrow. Ugh.

"But let's go." I continue tiredly.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

We walk for about a mile or so to reach the forest from the campus. I turn the flashlight on my phone 'on' as we head into the forest. 

"Do you...sense anything?" I ask.

"Not yet."

We're both on edge as we walk deeper into the forest. 

An hour goes by with nothing happening. I'm just glad the grass golem hasn't attacked me yet. But it could be trying to lead me into a false sense of security… It's probably best I don't think about that. 

Ricky stops me from moving forward. 

"I hear something." He whispers quietly. 

He concentrates on finding the source.

"It's coming from this direction." He's about to run off to the right, but pauses unsure. 

He can run a lot faster than I can and I really don't want to be left alone in a forest when a golem's out to get me. 

"Just carry me." I said in defeat. 

"You sure? Last time…" 

I really don't feel like puking again, but I can handle it. 

"Yeah, hurry before we lose track of whatever's out there."

Ricky lifts me in his arms and runs towards the sound. Once we stopped I was nauseous, but not puking. Small victories.

I could hear...low growling noises straight ahead. The moon was full as it shined down a woman. She had short brown hair and wore a red jacket with a pair a dark jeans. She looked to be somewhere in her 20's and...there was something closing in behind her! 

"Look out!" I blurt out.

As she turns her head to look behind her, Ricky moves in the blink of an eye as the thing lunged towards her with an open jaw. In the next second, it was rolling around with Ricky and I got a better look at it. It was a...wolf.

Holy shit. Ricky was fighting off a wolf. 

It kept trying to angrily bite him as he tried to hold it off. I think the woman was in the same amount of shock I was, maybe for completely different reasons. 

Suddenly, my ankle is grabbed and I'm flipped upside down.

"Damnit!" 

I'm brought face to face with the grass golem. I'm...terrified. 

Ricky and the wolf paused in their fighting to look over at me dangling precariously in the air. I don't know if I'm more worried about my life or Ricky's life at the moment. 

"Clark!"

Ricky tried to free himself from under the wolf. It bit his arm in the struggle. 

"Ricky!" 

He managed to get out from under it though. As it aimed to lunge at him again with blood coating it's teeth, my panic rose. Vines sprouted out of the ground and trapped the wolf. It couldn't move an inch as more vines sprouted and walled it in. 

Ricky cut me free and caught me with a grunt. 

"Are you okay?" I asked as he lets me down. 

"I-I'll be fine. It'll h-heal." He says as he grips his arm to stop the bleeding. 

I rip off one of my sleeves and hurriedly wrap it around his arm.

"Either way, I really don't want you to pass out on me." 

"T-thanks."

"No problem."

He still looking a little pale though. 

"W-what happened to your a-arm?"

Crap. I forgot about the red bruises on my arms.

"I'll tell you about it later."

I return my attention back to the imminent threat. It managed to finish reattaching it's severed arm. It was now or never. I had to get the golem from haunting me once and for all. Hopefully, before my vines decide to stop caging in the wolf. 

"Hey, grass!"

"W-what are you doing Clark!"

"I have no idea." I tell Ricky honestly. 

But hopefully it works.

The golem is reving up for another attack when I speak again. 

"I'm sorry!"

It pauses. At least it was listening. 

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was frustrated and took my anger out at you. So can we start over? Preferably without you haunting my dreams, threatening people, and tripping me." 

It seems to be thinking it over.

'I'll forgive you on one condition.' It speaks to my mind.

"What do you want in return?" I ask reluctantly. 

Hopefully it's a simple request.

'Visit me in the forest for at least an hour each day.'

That was a lot to ask for, especially since I was still scared of it. It seemed to read my hesitance. 

'I'll teach you how to control your powers during each visit.'

"Deal." I accept without a second thought. 

No one else was going to teach me, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

The golem seemed surprised I agreed so quickly, but goes along with it in the end. It raises it's hand and we both glow a blinding white for a few seconds. 

'The deal has been made and cannot be revoked. You shall be marked with my symbol as a reminder of this deal.'

Hopefully, it wouldn't appear anywhere noticeable and this deal wouldn't come back to bite me in the ass. 

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

It nods. 'Farewell.'

The grass golem disassembles itself and returns to the earth without a trace. 

"What the hell just happened?!"

I forgot about the woman. I look to Ricky for help. He seems almost just as confused, but at least he's looking less pale. 

"So the monster won't try to kill you anymore?" Ricky asks.

"Yep. I just have to visit it everyday. It also offered to teach me how to control my powers." 

"Really?"

I nod in return. 

"Isn't that...dangerous? Visiting it alone each day?"

"No, it can't hurt me since we made a deal."

"How do you know that?"

How  _ do _ I know that?

"It's...hard to explain. I can just...feel that it's true. If that makes sense."

"It doesn't, but I think I get what you mean."

"Will someone please  _ explain _ to me what the hell is going on?!"

Right, the woman Ricky saved. 

Before either of us could respond, the vines begin to recede. I  _ really _ need those plant lessons. 

"Explanation later, let's go." Ricky points in a direction and the woman runs off without us. 

Huh. So Ricky wasn't the only one with super speed. I could think more on that later. 

"Let's get out of here too."

"R-right." 

I practically jump into Ricky's arms. I really don't want to stick around for a wolf attack. I do feel bad about putting more strain on Ricky's injured arm though. 

We make it about half a mile out of the forest before we spot the woman again. When Ricky lets me down, I notice he managed to soak through the make-shift bandage. I'm gonna have to get him a real bandage and actually disinfect the wound. 

Ricky starts off by explaining what's been happening to the woman to the best of his ability. In the meantime, I check my phone. 

It's almost 11 pm and I have a message from my father. He'll be stuck at work for another few hours. It turns out there was a big car accident downtown. I text him back a response, letting him know I'm alright. 

I check back into the conversation. The woman still looks pretty confused. 

"We can talk more at my house. It will also give me the chance to give you proper medical attention."

"I said I'm fine."

"Tell that to the blood still dripping down your arm. Just please come with me, it will put my mind at ease."

"Okay." He says with a sigh. 

"Great." I turn to the woman. "I'm Clark and that's Ricky by the way." I reach out my hand. 

"Laura." She shakes my hand in return. 

"So you coming with us?" I ask her. 

"Well, I still need answers don't I?" She asks rhetorically with a smile. 

We walk back to my house and I dig out the big med kit from one of the cabinets in the kitchen. 

"Why do you have so many medical supplies?" Laura asks skeptically. 

"My Dad's a doctor."

"Ah." 

I wipe away the blood on Ricky's arm with alcohol wipes, disinfect the wound, and wrap it with gauze. There's no real point for stitches if it's just going to heal the next day. When I'm done, I offer them drinks and tell them about my war with grass after finding out I'm half nature fairy. 

"Okay, things are starting to make a lot more since now." said Laura. 

"What did Ricky tell you?" I ask.

"Just how you two ended up in the forest tonight because he 'sensed' something, but the grass monster popping up out of nowhere and grabbing you makes more sense now."

No wonder she was still confused. 

"So, are you still at 'war' with grass?" She can't help but laugh. 

"No. We signed a 'peace treaty'." 

"Think it will last?" She asks. 

"It will. It's not the kind of treaty either of us can back out of at the last minute."

"Now that you know why  _ we _ were in the forest, why were  _ you _ in the forest?" asks Ricky.

"I was following up on leads on the animal attacks." 

"Why?" I ask. 

"Because I know what attacked them." She states seriously. 

I was about to ask 'what' did it, but I didn't have to. 

"What attacked them?" Ricky asks. 

"It was...a werewolf." Laura said. 

"A w-werewolf?" I ask in shock. 

She nods. 

"They exist?" Ricky asks. 

Laura bursts with laughter. "Of course they exist! I'm a werewolf and you're a werewolf." She points to Ricky. "I can smell it on you."

Ricky and I sit in shocked silence. 

"Wait, you didn't know?" Laura asks. 

Ricky shakes his head. "I was adopted and I don't remember anything from before then."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay."

I steer the conversation back on track to the main focus. 

"So...was the 'wolf' in the forest…" I trail off.

"Yeah, that was a werewolf." 

My mind was officially blown. 

"He was also...my uncle Peter." She finishes sadly. 

Correction, now it was blown. 

"Why would your uncle attack you in the woods?" Ricky asks with concern. 

"I don't know. I think...he's unstable. It's been years since we've visited him in the hospital, our pack bonds have weakened significantly since then."

"What happened to him?" I asked hesitantly.

"There...was a fire. My brother and I lost most of our family that day."

"Sorry." I said.

"It was a long time ago."

"So you left your uncle to rot in a hospital?" Accused Ricky. 

"He was practically a vegetable! There was nothing we could do…" She looks away guiltily. 

"You could have still been there for him." I said. 

I know from experience, that most people just want to be comforted when their stuck in a hospital. 

"I know, I know...but we were just kids! We were scared too. We just wanted to leave town and never look back... And that's what we did." She looks regretful. 

"Well, he's clearly  _ not _ a vegetable now." said Ricky. 

"His healing must have kicked in." said Laura. 

"Can you...rebuild pack bonds?" I ask. 

"Yes, it takes a lot of time though."

"Will it help him recover...mentally?" asks Ricky.

"It should. Pack stability and support can help heal his mind."

"So what are you going to do now?" I ask her. 

"First, I'll call my brother. He kind of...doesn't know I'm here." She finishes sheepishly. 

"You went after a werewolf alone?!" I exclaim. 

Laura bows her head as if she were being scolded.

"I thought I could handle it." She mumbles. 

"Clearly you couldn't." said Ricky. 

Laura glares at him and then sighs. "Look, if I call him now, he'll be here by tomorrow. Then he can help rehabilitate our uncle." She digs her cell phone out of her pocket and makes a call in the other room. 

"I don't think she should go back to Beacon Hills alone." said Ricky.

I turn to Ricky.

"There's no telling where her uncle is or if he even went back to the hospital." Ricky continues.

He made some great points.

"She can stay here until her brother arrives. We have an extra guest bedroom." 

"So are you going to tell me how you got that bruise on your arm?"

I was hoping he forgot about that. It was wishful thinking on my part though considering how it's still on display for the world to see. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm surprised Laura didn't say anything about it. 

"It's from...the grass golem grabbing me in my dreams." I admit.

"It can hurt you in your dreams and you agreed to sign a 'peace treaty' with it?!" He yells. 

Well, it sounds bad when you put it like that. 

"I didn't have a choice. I just wanted the nightmares to stop! You...don't know what it's like...being forced to watch...what it's capable of." I finish softly. 

He still seems concerned, but drops it for now. 

Ricky stands up to leave. 

"Well, I better get going. I have classes in the morning."

"Ugh. Don't remind me."

I've barely gotten enough sleep as it is. 

"You sure you'll be okay on your own?" I ask with a hint of worry. 

"I should be the one asking you that. I'll be fine on campus. Safety in numbers right?"

"Right." I respond somewhat unsure. 

A werewolf wouldn't attack a campus full of people right? A werewolf in their right mind probably wouldn't, but the problem is Laura's uncle clearly isn't in his right mind. 

I walk Ricky to the door. 

"Be careful. Just in case."

"I will. You should too." Ricky responds.

I nod and shut the door behind him. 

Laura finishes her call a few minutes later. 

"How did it go?" I ask her. 

"He yelled at me for my stupidity, but he'll be on the first plane out and should be here sometime tomorrow." 

"Good. You can stay here until then."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden." 

"It's no problem. We have a guest bedroom you can use." 

"Thanks." She envelopes me in a bear hug. "Sorry, I'm a hugger." She said with a laugh. 

"No worries, I'm used to it. My friend Jess' a hugger too."

Hopefully, they never meet each other. I shutter at the thought of being squeezed to death from both sides. 

I show Laura her temporary room, which just so happens to be the room next to mine. I text Dad and give him a heads up that a friend is staying the night, so he doesn't think a squatter broke in or something. 

It's past midnight when I finally start to get ready for bed. As I remove my layers of clothing in the bathroom in preparation for a shower, something in the mirror catches my eye. I move closer to the mirror to get a better look at my lower back. 

Is that…? Yep. Three strands of green grass were now tattooed on my lower back. This must have been the 'symbol' the grass was talking about earlier. 

But did it really have to be on my lower back? It really looks like a tramp stamp in that position. Or a downwards arrow pointing towards my- Nope, nope. Don't finish that thought Clark. Think happy thoughts. Like 6 straight hours of nightmare free sleep. Ah. That does sound nice. 

Hopefully, Jess never sees this. I grimace at the thought. I would never be able to live this down otherwise. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time on: I Swear I Was Straight Before I Met You
> 
> I have no idea because I haven't started writing it yet. XD But Derek should make an appearance and he'll probably visit Peter with Laura. Clark will start his training with the grass golem. And maybe more supernatural creatures will begin attacking one of the towns? (I also have to find a way for Jess to be useful on said adventures. -.-) So any ideas you would like to see for creatures or otherwise would be greatly appreciated. ;)


End file.
